What does Rememberance Day mean to me?
It's the lone day of the year when bands like Green Day stop insinuating that the only reason why people join the armed forces is because they are too poor.
It's the lone day of the year that I stop hearing about how sexist and racist soldiers are.
It's the lone day of the year that I see people walking around in military uniform proud to serve without the fear of being overtly looked down upon.
It's the lone day of the year that people stop talking about how joining the armed forces is wasting your life.
It's the lone day of the year when I stop hearing about how being a soldier is a sin.
It's the lone day of the year where people start thinking about how badly we treat our veterans of yesterday, and how badly we already treat the ones of the future.
It's the lone day of the year where soldiers can say prayers in public places, at designated times, and not fear being taken to task for it.
It's the lone day of the year when I watch movie and telivision productions where soldiers are revered as being human beings that served the fight for freedom.
It's the lone day of the year when I don't watch movie and telivision productions that portray soldiers as being mindless automatons, sex-crazy, and killing obsessed.
It's the lone day of the year when politicians on mass stop ignoring the armed forces.
It's the lone day of the year when people stop speaking about soldiers with distain, and instead speak with respect.
It's the lone day of the year when we don't hate soldiers.
I just heard a man on the radio today talk about Soldiers of the present, and not of the past. He started with the usual banter about how horrible past wars were. Though he said something that meant more. He said that "he'd like to believe that he had what it takes to do what today's soldiers do." Then he paused. "But I can't say for sure that I do."
Honesty. It's rare to things said honestly.
I don't know if I would have had what it took to do what those veterans did. I don't know if I have what it takes to do what soldiers of the free world do today, and see today.
But I'm thankfull for those that are willing to put their lives on the line for my own. And I'm thankfull that they put up with all the abuse we give them.
I was a Private First Class, Infantry (Honorable Discharge) and my Dad Bert Whittle was a war hero. I wrote about a secret war story my Dad Bert Whittle told me when I was dilerious with Scarlet fever, and scared, a story I have kept inside since I was a young lad. I know from first hand experience my family and I, and all that follow us, will never forget.
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