What does Veterans Day mean to America?  Today we celebrate another day of freedom.  Freedom from oppression, servitude and degradation at the hands of any enemy to our way of life.  What we have in America is such a precious thing.  Look at any socialist country and there is a lack of patriotic fervor that is noticeable in comparison to our own country.  In the US you will see the flag flown almost every where.  What is the reason for American Patriotism and why has being patriotic become a derogatory term for some?


[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQC6YvJ_Cac?rel=0]

Look at the American way.  Americans love to go big or bust.  When we want to shop, we shop in enormous malls.  Need a thrill?  Fast rollercoasters at huge amusement parks greet thrill seekers here in the US.  Want to experience a movie?  Try a multiplex that boasts stadium seating and full dining.  Need an advanced education?  People travel here from around the world to get their Bachelors, Masters and PhD’s in masse.  From housing to cars, we go the distance in being the very best.

And then there is our reverence for our flag. This is where it gets personal for me.  I love America.  Having grown up in Germany, I have special memories of the flag meaning home; and that where an American flag flies is home away from home. 

The flag rippling gently in the breeze, the soft sound of it coming to rest on the casket of a fallen veteran’s.  The crisp swoosh of my gloved hand as I fold and crease the flag as a member of the Honor Guard.  The crush of a folded flag against my uniform as I carry that flag to the widow or mother of a fallen son.  The sharp pop of my ceremonial weapon as it fires during the 21 gun salute.

This is our flag, and it stands for freedom.  Saying God bless America doesn’t mean that He shouldn’t or cannot bless another country, it means that we pray his blessings on us.  The flag also reminds us that freedom isn’t free and others are abroad and at home standing in the gap to ensure that our freedoms remain.  The woven threads in our flag represent the connection between all of us as a nation.  We are one.

From the 5000 Year Leap by W. Cleon Skousen:

Therefore Law (of the Creator) is the distinction between things just and unjust, made in agreement with that primal and most ancient of all things, Nature; and in conformity to Nature’s standard are framed those human laws which inflict punishment upon the wicked and protect the good. (Ibid., p. 135.)

Our military might and our 2nd Amendment right to bear arms as private citizens keep us free.  We punish the wicked and protect the good.  It is imperative that we maintain and protect both to ensure that our way of life endures.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scRYrXjNFxA?rel=0]

Happy Veterans Day!