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Day 126: COVID-19 Are We Worthy of Their Sacrifice?
Memorial Day is a day for somber reflection on the great American Experiment. We too often fail to see how remarkable our existence actually is: self-government secured by a national compact of citizens and enforced by a rule of law. Magna Carta to a Parliament to colonial assemblies to a Congress. A journey of developments that led to the freest nation on Earth. Crafted by geniuses and defended by patriots.
It is this latter part, “defended by patriots” that is our focus today. The green patches of land filled with crosses and markers of disparate faiths note the sacrifice made to preserve our Constitution and our way of life. “All gave some, some gave all” is a simple and beautiful formulation of that sacrifice.
Again we are a land in turmoil. The invasion we have suffered has mobilized our attention and focus. In a federal system we are seeing different reactions to the crisis play out. Some say “we get the government we deserve.” More correctly, we get the government that time, circumstance, and a democratic process delivers. And so we all are challenged both by the epidemic and our various governmental responses. Are we happy with what we got? If not, what are we prepared to sacrifice to get it? Are we worthy of the sacrifices others made on our behalf?
[Note: Links to all my COVID-19 posts can be found here.]
Published in General
Thank you for this. Memorial Day – I grew up knowing it as Decoration Day – is a day of anxiety for me now. While our son was a boy and growing up in our home we had many conversations and explorations of our nation’s founding and how unique and unlikely it was and how it must be treasured and treated as a Treasure. He really never tired of talking about it. All that time he was our delightfully curious and fiercely intelligent boy. Now he’s a man doing a job he loves and suits him to the ground with other curious and intelligent men who could be doing other things with their incredible brain power. Now we use the Day to honor men he served with, one of whom he named his second son for, who know how fragile civilization is and how vital it is that we defend it. EODMom is selfish tho and just wants her boy home with his family. Thank you for reminding me why he knows best at this time.
I think all of your posts on this issue should be widely disseminated, and would make a great book.
I wonder sometimes what the Founding Fathers would think about the state of affairs in this country. I expect they would experience a whole range of feelings. I think some would shake their heads, thinking about how fragile a Republic is; others might be bewildered about our finding ourselves fighting a Leftist cultural battle.
I hope we don’t let them down.
Individually, we are not worthy of their sacrifice, but our soldiers fight heroically not so much for individuals, but for the potential this nation brings to the world.
We should all soldier on with the same type of heroism on behalf of the ideals of this nation.
To those who died for our national cause: thank you. To their families and loved ones: thank you and peace be with you.