Although freedom of speech is a right, afforded to us by the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights, I always try and view it as a privilege. A privilege afforded to us by the fighting men and women of the United States Armed Forces. Let’s take a moment to acknowledge those thatstand in the front lines and allow us such liberties.

We’ve been given a gift and sometimes forget the price that is paid for that gift. Once we forget, we begin to question why our soldiers are fighting overseas. I, for one, have found myself questioning why our men and women were sent to Iraq and Afghanistan. Is it for some personal agenda instead of the good of our country?

I recently scanned through an article, in a political magazine for which I will not name, that interviewed a soldier who recently returned from overseas fighting. The article was focused on how the soldier had turned his anger toward his government and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The soldier was now giving all his attention to a combative approach toward our government.

While I understand this soldier’s frustration, I want to remind my fellow Americans that there are thousands of other soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. These soldiers deserve our respect and support. They are there because they believe in the bigger picture of what America stands for. We can do our part by focusing our attention on building that America for which these men and women fight for.

Instead of expressing our anger at the government, for whom we voted for, let’s focus our attention on identifying the future leaders that will make our men and women of the military proud. Let’s give time to researching the background of the politicians we’ll be electing this fall. Let’s give time to educating those around us how important their votes are. Let’s take responsibility for our actions instead of sitting back and blaming others. Let’s make the men and women of the United States Armed Forces proud of us as we are of them.

I have personally never served in the Armed Forces and therefore cannot speak from experience. What I can say is that I have family who has served and paid a heavy price. My cousin, who served in Afghanistan, was injured by a sniper. This sniper placed him in a wheel chair for the rest of his life; and yet, my cousin feels fortune to be alive. I am proud of him for his courage and his commitment to serving this great nation.

Over the next couple of years we’ll be seeing many of these young men and women returning to their homes. I, for one, will be welcoming them home with open arms. Proud for what they have accomplished for the people of Iraq, Afghanistan, and the United States. Proud for going into harm’s way for the benefit of others. And yes, proud to be a fellow American to these young men and women.

God Bless America!

Author Bio: Frank Denver – A husband and father of three wonderful children with the privilege of managing Politics and Freedom. Site: www.politicsandfreedom.com

Category: Politics
Keywords: United States, Armed Forces, Iraq, Afghanistan, Constitution, Bill of Rights, Politics and Freedom