Today is a solemn day. It’s a day when we remember and honor the heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice. Every person who enters the military signs a contract pledging their life to defend our country. All hope they will never be faced with that prospect, but each is willing to accept that risk.
I have not served in the military. Far be it for me to lecture those who have. My father was a World War II veteran of the Air Force. He had a tremendous sense of pride and love for those he served alongside. I could see the honor. But, he was reluctant to discuss much of what he experienced in the war. I can only imagine what he witnessed. It was apparent that the time he spent in service changed his life forever.
In speaking with veterans, they provide several reasons for why they served. Some served looking for direction, structure, a college education, or meaning in their life. Maybe it was September 11. Maybe it was family heritage. Perhaps they were drafted. Eventually the reasoning moves to something deeper. I see the sense of pride in their eyes, the love, the pain, and the honor.
These heroes did not fight for a government program. They did not sign on the dotted line to protect a bureaucratic regulation. They fought for a principle. They fought for an idea. They fought for freedom.
As citizens, we should fight with this same spirit. The Convention of States Project unites individual citizens to help achieve extraordinary things. The battle is difficult. There are obstacles to overcome. There is territory to defend.
When the burden seems too much to bear, remember your fellow warriors are standing shoulder to shoulder with you. We are there to pick you up and celebrate the victories. That is who we are.
We are Americans.
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