Memorial Day: If You Respect Their Sacrifice, Exercise The Freedom They Fought For

Photo by Andrew Ruiz on Unsplash

Everywhere today on social media I see the sentiment that our freedoms are the result of the ultimate sacrifice of those U.S. soldiers who died in battle. I do not mean to disparage those who gave all for what they believed in, but I would like to point out those who so lightly and cynically exploit the courage and honor of soldiers by sending them to their deaths in the name of anything other than freedom. In fact, those who are so willing to send soldiers to fight and die in foreign lands are often the same ones who are trying to take our freedoms away from us.

Using the sacrifice of brave soldiers as an excuse, they say we must hold our tongues. Because others have died for freedom, they say the rest of us must be monitored, our liberties curtailed. If this is true, then our soldiers we celebrate today died not for freedom but for security. Security is what fascists fight for, not defenders of liberty.

If you value your freedom, don’t just salute a flag, exercise your freedom. If you want to show real respect for those who gave their lives in the name of liberty and democracy, exercise the liberty and democracy they fought for. Don’t let anybody try to take it from you or silence your right to be heard. You owe it to those who gave all.