It is easy for many of us to be Americans. All we are asked to do, is pay our yearly income tax, and vote every two years. Many of us complain about the first, some avoid it, and others do it regularly. Many vote in every election, some vote when it is convenient, and some never vote. Regardless we all get all of the  same benefits of being American.  It is hard for many of us to actually realize all the  benefits we receive, from being members of this exclusive club, called being American, so we tend to belittle it. We are like the home owner who wants to move because we don’t like the color on the baseboard. Meanwhile in other parts of the world, people have no houses or homes. We belittle our schools, while in other parts of the world children are not allowed to go to school.  Now we have homeless people here to,  but we also have a government system, and charities that can help them.  These charities can actually operate because we live in America and our government system  works.  Not so in other places.

Some individuals, however, choose to do more than pay taxes and vote.  They choose to actively serve in the US military to protect this country of ours.  Many put their lives literally on the line every single day to protect and serve this country.  They are the face of America across the world.  They make American policies happen. They work and bleed for us, so that we can go on, bitching and complaining, about our government, as is our right, and try to cheat on our taxes, and then not vote.   America gets more upset when a policeman dies then when one of our active service members dies, or a veteran commits suicide. Our police do an important job, but they are not members of our armed forces.

Many of these men and women end up dying while serving our country.  We often forget that Lincoln’s most famous address,  was given to honor the war dead at Gettysburg. As President Lincoln said “But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.” 

When our service members live and die for our country, they often leave families behind. These families may have agreed with, or disagreed with,  their son’s and/or daughter’s decision to join the military. Families are messy.  But when they receive that knock on the door,  they enter a group of families referred to as Gold Star families.  It is a star that no family wants to earn.   These families have suffered a horrible fate, the loss of a son or daughter.   But unlike many of us, their specific sacrifice was made for us, actually for each and every one of us who call ourselves, or are Americans. This is not a sacrifice made for a few, but for all us.  That son or daughter died somewhere in the world, so we can continue to be safe and enjoy our iced chi latte, while totally being oblivious.  But their families are not oblivious.   So when anyone disrespects our men and women serving in our military we should be upset and angry.  But when someone disrespects our Gold Star families, we should be livid.

© words by Dan DeMarle