Memorial Day, and once again I find myself uncomfortable over some of the sentiments expressed in editorials and from pulpits. Although I have a great deal of respect for the men and women who serve and have served in the armed forces, the little hairs on the back of my neck come to attention when I hear solemn references to those who have lost their lives in the Middle East "defending our freedom."
Hmm.
There's no denying that they died in service to our country, and for that alone they are deserving of honor and thanks. It's the "defending our freedom" part that puzzles me, since I have yet to discover how exactly Iraq ever posed any threat to the United States at all, let alone our "freedom."
Such statements, although obviously intended to honor fallen troops--a worthy and noble aim--in fact tend to implicitly support a pointless and immoral war, and to gloss over the tragedy that these men and women should have died because of the short-sighted hubris of our political "leaders."
So let's honor those who have died in service to the nation. But let's be accurate about it.
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