A Sense of Sorrow and Pride.
I was reminded today, of how much we have, how much we take for granted, and the huge cost that it has come at. We in the west have a lifestyle that is unequaled in human history, we live in vast cities, and can travel around the world in hours not days. We are the most traveled peoples ever. But at what cost?
Since the start of the 20th century we were embroiled in conflict after conflict, the first world war saw an old way of life, of royalty and empire thrown against each other. The huge industrial complexes on each side created a meat grinder when men, flesh and bone were pitted against hot steel. At the end the west was decimated, the cost in human lives unprecedented in human history. It carried the catch phrase of the war to end all wars. Yet it was the peace thrashed out after the first world war, that laid the seeds for a war on a scale we had never seen before.
I wont go into the second world war, suffice to say that it was horrific with entire cites and populations laid to waste. Genocide on such a huge scale its horror is still fresh with us today.
What I want to talk about is those men, boys that volunteered to fight for the freedom and the rights of everyone. The men who came aground at Omaha beach. Those who fought their way up the pacific rim writing their way into history with blood sweat and tears.
They have been labeled the greatest generation, what they achieved during the war and of course afterwards was simply put amazing. They fought a war and then came home and changed everything about the world they lived in and had seen their mates die for. They are truly great men and wont be forgotten ever.
It is with sadness and pride that I walk past the headstones in a cemetery, sadness to know that their lives were lost. But more importantly pride in the fact they fought for something worthwhile. Something we take for granted each day and each election. Freedom.
The price of this freedom was high, and its our forever vigilance that keeps us free. With the erosion of freedoms and rights, it is our turn to carry the torch our turn to say enough is enough. Don't stand back and be silent, because when good men don't stand up bad things happen. When good men stand up to be counted we can do anything.
For those who fought in Korea, Vietnam, Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan, I give my eternal thanks, to me at least your sacrifice has not gone unnoticed. Lets hope for now with troops coming home, that it will be a while before we send our young men and woman into harms way. I think to hope for peace is unrealistic, but a break from conflict, thats something I hope we can all call for.
Our hope for peace of any lasting kind lies with the untied nations. It is also our greatest hurdle to dealing with rouge nations states and groups. Its inner workings allow for veto over any voted for and agreed upon course of action. Something that has been done often because of monetary gain or potential loss. France, Russia, China to name a few have at times hindered global initiative. But we cannot move forward as a planet any other way.
There is a counter to this of course, movement toward a one world government is extremely dangerous, its a unique attributes that make us strong.
Anyway to all who have sacrificed in all the ways they do, in our names, to protect our freedom, no matter how fractured that is at times I say thanks.
Since the start of the 20th century we were embroiled in conflict after conflict, the first world war saw an old way of life, of royalty and empire thrown against each other. The huge industrial complexes on each side created a meat grinder when men, flesh and bone were pitted against hot steel. At the end the west was decimated, the cost in human lives unprecedented in human history. It carried the catch phrase of the war to end all wars. Yet it was the peace thrashed out after the first world war, that laid the seeds for a war on a scale we had never seen before.
I wont go into the second world war, suffice to say that it was horrific with entire cites and populations laid to waste. Genocide on such a huge scale its horror is still fresh with us today.
What I want to talk about is those men, boys that volunteered to fight for the freedom and the rights of everyone. The men who came aground at Omaha beach. Those who fought their way up the pacific rim writing their way into history with blood sweat and tears.
They have been labeled the greatest generation, what they achieved during the war and of course afterwards was simply put amazing. They fought a war and then came home and changed everything about the world they lived in and had seen their mates die for. They are truly great men and wont be forgotten ever.
It is with sadness and pride that I walk past the headstones in a cemetery, sadness to know that their lives were lost. But more importantly pride in the fact they fought for something worthwhile. Something we take for granted each day and each election. Freedom.
The price of this freedom was high, and its our forever vigilance that keeps us free. With the erosion of freedoms and rights, it is our turn to carry the torch our turn to say enough is enough. Don't stand back and be silent, because when good men don't stand up bad things happen. When good men stand up to be counted we can do anything.
For those who fought in Korea, Vietnam, Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan, I give my eternal thanks, to me at least your sacrifice has not gone unnoticed. Lets hope for now with troops coming home, that it will be a while before we send our young men and woman into harms way. I think to hope for peace is unrealistic, but a break from conflict, thats something I hope we can all call for.
Our hope for peace of any lasting kind lies with the untied nations. It is also our greatest hurdle to dealing with rouge nations states and groups. Its inner workings allow for veto over any voted for and agreed upon course of action. Something that has been done often because of monetary gain or potential loss. France, Russia, China to name a few have at times hindered global initiative. But we cannot move forward as a planet any other way.
There is a counter to this of course, movement toward a one world government is extremely dangerous, its a unique attributes that make us strong.
Anyway to all who have sacrificed in all the ways they do, in our names, to protect our freedom, no matter how fractured that is at times I say thanks.
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