Frank Borelli
Editor In Chief
New American Truth
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The primary and most important purpose of this blog entry is to say this:
As we recognize those who have served this great country of ours today, on Veterans Day, we should do so (in my humble opinion) from a certain perspective. That perspective would ask one question, albeit one question that may not be easy to answer: Are we, as Americans, living our lives and moving our country forward in a way that our service veterans would see and feel validated in the value of their service? What I mean is this…
Using myself as the example (because I can’t see inside any other veteran’s head), I know I went into the service for several reasons. In no particular order:
- I felt that, having received and enjoyed the blessings my family had available in the United States, it behooved me to give something back. That something was my service.
- I had a number of relatives who had served and, as I enlisted, I believed that my family honored military service (my grand-father earned his U.S. citizenship by fighting in the U.S. Army in WWI).
- The veterans I had known growing up all seemed to be men of good character; polite; courteous; helpful. They seemed good men to hold as examples of the kind of man I hoped to become.
- When I finished high school I didn’t feel ready for college. I felt ready to get on with my life and the service offered me an opportunity to do that.
- I had every intent of pursuing a career in law enforcement and I could get a jump on that by way of military service.
So, for me, it was a matter of both give and take. I had personal motivations that were certainly selfish and some that weren’t. I had a family history of service and felt I would be fitting into that family mold to some extent. But the thing that stuck with me the most through the years was that I had served my country, doing my part to carry on the traditions and values that made our country both great and totally unique in the world.
Nowhere else but in the United States of America can people enjoy the freedoms our founding fathers very carefully designed into our founding documents. In no other country do concepts, as outlined in our Bill of Rights, exist as a whole and as unfettered as we enjoy them here. During my time in active duty Army service and then again in the Maryland National Guard, I felt I was doing my part to keep America – as our founding fathers gave birth to her – alive.
Lately though, there are some – myself among them – who believe that our country may be growing in a direction our founding fathers never intended and wouldn’t approve of. This great republic, its strength meant to flow from We The People is leaning ever more toward becoming one of rulers and commoners. Our government which is meant to serve us and do our will is steadily evolving into a ruling entity which demands service from us and tells us what we can or can’t do – our will be damned.
I find myself, this Veterans Day morning, wondering how veterans feel about this? I appreciate the day. As I often say, Every day above dirt is a good day, but I could certainly be happier with my government servants. I am concerned that a conflict is brewing – be it one of votes or clash of arms. I don’t believe for a moment that the strong will of the American people can or will be ignored for very long. I choose to believe that many veterans would agree with me.
So, my brother and sister veterans: HAPPY VETERANS DAY. THANK YOU for your service to this great nation of ours and the people our government is meant to serve. What are your thoughts and feelings this Veterans Day?
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