| | as i've gotten older, memorial day has become a lot more important to me.
both sides of my family have a rich history of proud military service. my grandpa on my mother's side fought in World War II and served as General MacArthur's chef in the Pacific. my dad has served in the Navy Reserve for many years and was called to duty in the first Gulf War and was supposed to go overseas twice but did not. my grandpa on my dad's side served in World War II, and many previous generations fought in earlier wars, such as The Civil War, as well. my stepmother's dad served in the military too.
i have thought long and hard about whether to pursue military service, and the fact that i will be the first in many generations not to serve (unless something changes drastically with my life's path or world history) weighs on me on days like Memorial Day. part of me tells myself that i am serving the country through my career path in public interest law, but another part of me reminds myself that there is no greater sacrifice than putting oneself in the place to lay down his life for his nation.
i've struggled, too, with how to balance celebrating and honoring our veterans with my beliefs that we shouldn't celebrate war and that wars should only be entered into as a last resort and that our nation should hold leaders accountable who do not send our sons and daughers into combat after exhausting all possible diplomatic alternatives. it was very hard for me to protest the war in Iraq in 2003 while my father was in a rather prominent military-related position because i did not want him to feel as if i disapproved of him personally even though i disapproved of the war. over time, i've come to realize that while it is important to ensure that military action is handled with gravitas and seriousness, it is also very important to not only make our troops feel as if the nation supports them and is hoping for their safe return home, but also to ensure that our nation provides our veterans with the resources that they need to re-adjust to civilian life through things such as providing adequate medical care, counseling, and education.
i called my dad and thanked him for his service today. it was the first time in 28 years that i've done that, and it's far too overdue. i hope to have the chance to visit my grandfather's grave as well; i haven't been there for many, many years. =( i hope that all of us in America are grateful for the sacrifices that people have made. our nation isn't perfect, but compared to the rest of the world, we have it very good and we are very blessed. social inequality does exist, but there are an army of programs and people who are ready and willing to fight a war against poverty and inequality here at home and make it possible for the poorest children to have the same chances at success as the richest children. we have religious freedom in America as well and nobody is forced to believe anything that violates their conscience. sure, Memorial Day is a nice day off and a chance to celebrate with friends, but i hope that in the midst of our celebrations and happiness, we all can take the time to remember the deeper meaning of the day.
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| | Posted 5/25/2009 11:39 PM - 8 Views - 2 eProps - 1 Comment
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