My brother-in-law and I had an interesting conversation via
Facebook today. He made a post about a professor of his who rather flippantly
disregarded this coming Monday’s holiday. First, she couldn’t remember why they
weren’t having class… some holiday or whatnot. Then, when her memory returned,
she said (and I’m paraphrasing his paraphrase), oh, yes, Veteran’s Day. I can’t
keep all these “silly” holidays straight.
Now, I am a pretty laid back person. I’m a Libra and Libras
prefer balance; they are mediators and dislike conflict to the point that they
will endure unhappiness to keep those around them happy. As such, I am
relatively even keel most of the time. But there are a few topics I cannot
remain silent about: the first is my children. That one is rather obvious. The
second is my family, certainly. And the third is my country and those who fight
to protect it.
I have the honored privilege of having a great many veterans
in my family. My husband served our country as did my uncle, my grandfathers,
and any number of extended family members. We have many friends who are still
active duty, scattered throughout the world, and many who are either separated
or retired right here at home. And my position as a college instructor in a
training base city means I meet veterans and active duty military members, all
with their own unique stories and experiences, each semester. I am grateful to
them all on a daily basis.
To forget the day we honor those who have served in the
various branches of the United States Armed Forces or, worse, to refer to that
day as “silly” is not only disrespectful; in my mind, such disregard is
directly linked to the main problem facing my generation and the generation
that will be voting in it’s first election tomorrow: selfishness. I would say
ignorance or even indifference, but both of those initial reactions can be
traced to the larger issue that truly appears to drive every decision today’s
youth makes.
As a further example, the day after the last presidential
debate, I asked my classes to respond via a casual journal topic. I don’t
preach my beliefs before my students: politics and religion rarely make their
way into my classroom except through rhetorical questions and occasional
independent writing exercises, honestly, because I view my authority as a means
for encouraging and promoting thought in an environment that fosters growth,
creativity, and freedom of expression. But with the election looming on the
horizon, I thought it was a topic that should be addressed rather than ignored.
I knew it was hopeful, to say the least, that my younger students would even
have realized the debates were on TV. For my non-traditionals, I really
expected passionate, issue-driven responses.
What did I get? Apathy. Indifference. And even a bold, “Who
really cares?”
Well, for one, I do. And honestly I find it rather
frightening that this is the general attitude of those who will one day be
charged with making decisions for this great nation. The selfishness that leads
to such bold statements is the same selfishness that leads to Veteran’s Day
being referred to as “silly” and students commenting, “I’ll vote one day when I
care enough to follow it all.”
The general attitude in this country stinks. Everyone sits
around complaining about the economy, about the war, about unemployment, but
very few of those who are the most vocal are willing to put forth the effort to
change it. Ralph Waldo Emerson argues that mankind is “afraid of truth, afraid
of fortune, afraid of death, and afraid of each other.” And that is, quite
possibly, truer today that when it was written. He encourages man to avoid the
conformity that society encourages: “To believe your own thought, to believe
that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men, — that is
genius.” Sadly, today’s conformists are all too content to jump on the “I don’t
care” or “it doesn’t affect me” bandwagon. Perhaps a lack of conviction in
addition to a “foolish consistency” is, indeed, the “hobgoblin of little
minds.”
Much like the ignorant professor whose thoughtless comments
inspired this post, those who choose not to vote have every right to conform.
That is, after all, what society wants. However, I think it important that we
remember who guarantees our right to vote (or not vote), to speak our minds
(however boorish our thoughts may be), to walk outside and feel the sun on our
faces, the wind in our hair, and not fear gun fire or roadside bombs. Because, despite
their sacrifices—and they are many—and despite the fact that they live with the
reality that they may or may not return to this country alive, they defend it
without question. They defend the freedoms of those who don’t care enough to
visit a polling place on Tuesday and give five minutes of their lives to cast a
vote; they defend the rights of those who choose to loudly protest against them
and what they represent; and they protect this nation because, despite her
problems and despite her fair-weather citizenry, America is still a great nation.
This post isn’t about being a democrat, a republican, or an
independent. It is about being a proud American and honoring those who
risk their lives to afford us the right to declare our allegiance to a
particular political party and exercising that right tomorrow at the poll.
And don’t be afraid to thank those who have served. There’s
no need to wait until Monday. Tell them today and tomorrow. Tell them Monday
and tell them again the next day. Considering the sacrifices they make, they cannot be
told enough.
Great post.
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