“Honoring Veterans in 2023: Re-Igniting the Flickering Flame of Freedom”

Today is the traditional day established as “Veterans’ Day” for American citizens to take time to remember our nations’ veterans. Hopefully, most Americans will take some time from their busy weekends to remember the veterans. In reflecting on honoring veterans this year, it became real apparent that Veterans Day came right after the elections on Tuesday, which were fairly dismal commentaries on the lack of morality rampant in our nation in such a time as this.

The real public servants are the men and women in uniform 

To be perfectly honest with regard to the relationship between the nation’s elections and our veterans, the elections in this period of American history actually dishonor the veterans--those who may have sacrificed greatly for freedom. Election irregularities or malfeasance, whether it be planned or genuinely due to incompetence definitely represents an insult to the service our veterans offered to the nation.

On the one hand, elections are intended to provide a way for citizens to determine those who they prefer to lead them within the government arena. Those elected officials, representatives of the people, are supposed to serve as “public servants.”

However, the real public servants are the men and women in uniform who are assigned missions to protect people’s freedoms. On the other hand, politicians who are elected officials, often consider themselves privileged and often tend to be quite egotistical, considering themselves superior to the people they serve. They would likely reject the notion that they serve anyone, except that they would serve their own self interests or serve their personal pursuit of power for their respective political parties.

A majority of politicians these days do not seem to care one way or another about the Constitution

As citizens, “We the People” have developed an inverted sense of value when comparing these two categories of people--those who serve in the military and those who run for office. Those who serve in the military enlisted knowing that they may have to put themselves in harm’s way to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. 

A majority of politicians these days do not seem to care one way or another about the Constitution, and there are many who would work against the freedoms the Law of the Land protects. The standard of measurement of what “We the People” truly value as a society has been contorted and by “electing” politicians to the positions of responsibility, we have placed trust in people who should not deserve our trust. 

It is relatively good that we can honor our veterans on this day of remembrance, but more often we “honor” the men and women who run for office by filling their campaign coffers. Some who are “elected” will most gladly spend our tax dollars on many items we do not approve of--like “endless” wars, and also demand we send our young people in uniform into harm's way.

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Good may be something that citizens no longer believe is possible in such an ocean of corruption

This reveals an inverted sense of value in a continuous loop of nonsense. It is the men and women in the military who are the ones who endure hardships and have to suffer sacrifices that some politicians would never bother to consider dealing with the consequences they initiate.Men and women veterans, who have served their country, and who campaign for an elected position, often understand much more deeply the role of a public servant because they have lived through the hardships and dangers while in service to their fellow citizens. One may say that such individuals have earned the right to run for elected office.

The general public should hold good and faithful public servants in high esteem, regardless of whether the individuals served in the military or not. Yet, good and faithful may need to be more clearly defined--good by what standard?--faithful to whom or to what?

Good may be something that citizens no longer believe is possible in such an ocean of corruption. The general public exhibits a great deal of skepticism regarding whether politicos could be “good.” It is likely that politicians are known for not recognizing that as part of their job description. “Good” may be a seemingly meaningless standard of measurement when so many public figures in the political arena are so corrupt and dishonest. Those are job skills of slick-talking politicians.

Do veterans only matter once a year?

“Faithful” is another concern. Even without delving into the realm of faith, one question that could be asked is whether those who run for office are faithful to their husbands or wives. It is very unlikely that if a person cannot be faithful to one person, how could they be faithful to their many constituents? If one thinks about veterans who seek a public office, their record of loyalty to their country should matter. But, does it? Veterans who served as officers should have an advantage over those politicians whose only loyalty was to their own advancement. But does the public consider “faithfulness” a factor when deciding whether to vote for a candidate who is a veteran?

Do veterans only matter once a year, when people look up from their busy lives and remember to remember the veterans? Certainly, it matters more to some than to others --perhaps more to people who know veterans, or to those who have relatives that are veterans. In truth, veterans, in general, should deserve more respect due to their service to their nation and to the people. Yet that may not be the case in 2023.

Obviously, there is far greater respect now than in the '60s for our men and women who have served in the armed services. But, there are serious challenges for veterans who return home after their deployment. Many find the challenges of re-adjusting to civilian life a bit more than they can handle, and some end up homeless. Those stories are human tragedies. However, some enter the political arena and turn out to be gems in relation to other politicians who only intend to promote their own interests or their agendas. In either extreme, do Americans only consider the value of veterans once a year?

Standing in the gap between Freedom and tyranny

“We the People” may want to consider veterans more often, like as candidates campaigning for elected office. Obviously, not all veterans are saints, but it would seem logical that many would have a greater respect for the people of this nation than those who only look to manipulate their constituents or use them as easy targets for donations. This reveals a current leadership void in America.

The real value of those who have served the nation is that they did so knowing that they may have to offer their lives in keeping the vigil over the flame of Freedom--in standing in the gap between Freedom and tyranny. Would veterans who had sworn to protect and defend the Constitution be less vigilant in protecting and defending the Land of the Free while serving in public office? Might they be more likely to oppose threats to the principles upon which this great nation was founded?

On this Veterans Day, America needs to offer gratitude to veterans. But, a serious case could be made that veterans, maybe more than other citizens, could sense the need for bold and brave men and women to stand up once again and to show up and to speak out to defend Freedom. A plea could be made that such veterans, who love the Freedom they once swore to protect and defend, should be “drafted” once again to serve the nation as it faces the clear and present danger from those inside our nation who currently oppose or actively undermine America’s fundamental principles embedded in the Constitution or our Judeo- Christian values. It was that caliber of people who gave birth to the Land of the Free, and it will take that caliber of people to reignite the flame of Freedom. America will remain the Land of the Free because it remains the home of the brave!

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