On Memorial Day we remember those who died while serving in our country’s armed forces. The holiday was previously known as Decoration Day and began after the Civil War to commemorate the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the war. Now Memorial Day honors all Americans who died while in the military service. Over 1.4 million Americans died in all our wars and nearly another 1.5 million were wounded, many damaged physically and mentally for the rest of their lives.
**Eds Note: Graphic Content** American and German soldiers who paid for the invasion of France with their lives lie on the French ground covered with sheets, awaiting burial on June 12, 1944. (AP Photo/Pool/Acme, Brandt)
American and German soldiers who paid for the invasion of France with their lives lie on the French ground covered with sheets, awaiting burial on June 12, 1944.
Our American soldiers fought and gave their lives to save the world from tyranny. They fought to preserve freedom not only in Europe and Asia, but also in our own country. For example, if we had not entered WW2 and Nazi Germany prevailed in Europe and developed nuclear weapons before us, as they were working on, then America itself would have been in danger of falling to Nazi Germany.
Americans soldiers throughout our history have fought to preserve the US Constitution, freedom of speech, separation of powers, state’s rights, and all the other aspects of our exceptional system of government that enabled America to become the world’s largest economy, leader in innovation, and sole superpower.
A dead US soldier lies face down in the sand as other troops and tanks move off the beach, Utah area, 6 June 1944.
To all those who fought, we truly do owe our freedom and our American way of life. They deserve our eternal gratitude and respect, but what would those who fought decades ago to preserve the freedom of American citizens think of America now? A nation is defined by its borders; its language, and its culture. Would our fallen defenders of liberty not be deeply disappointed and saddened to see what our nation has become?
America now has leaders who do not adhere to the Constitution, but ignore it by expanding federal powers far beyond those enumerated in it. Some have disdain for our history and culture. They fail to defend our southern border from illegal immigration even though laws requiring measures be taken to seal the border were passed by previous Congresses. Illegal immigrants are pouring in to the US by the tens of millions over the years include criminal gang members, sex offenders, and most likely terrorists too. Even worse, instead of deporting illegal immigrants they are met at the border, provided free food, medical and other services, and transported to homes at undisclosed locations around the country all at the taxpayer’s expense.
“The fact is, our southern border IS wide open; it is practically undefended and everybody knows it. The many thousands streaming across it know that if they break our laws and enter the country illegally, they will be rewarded with free food, clothing, housing, medical care, transportation, legal representation and relocation, all at the expense of struggling American families. Ninety five percent of them believe they’ll get “permisso” to stay – and at the moment, they’re right.” Rep. Tom McClintock, July 24, 2014.
Instead of enforcing immigration laws many government officials support amnesty; enable illegal immigrants to get driver’s licenses, which then no doubt enables them to register to vote in many places even though they are not citizens; offer them benefits formerly available only to citizens and legal residents, such as in-state tuition at colleges, even Social Security and Medicare when they retire, and probably Medicaid and welfare benefits now. After all, do welfare recipients need to prove citizenship to get benefits? I doubt that happen in most cases:
Michigan and Nebraska appear to be the only states so far that won’t give cash assistance unless proof of citizenship is shown, although Missouri is joining their ranks. Some states, such as Virginia, require applicants to show a birth certificate or Social Security number. But they allow applicants to sign an affidavit of citizenship if they can’t provide the documents.
And how would those who gave their lives for this country feel about being criticized by many of those they fought to protect for being unfair, unjust, and racist, for succeeding only because of “white privilege”? Our young people are brainwashed with this and other views about America that are not only distorted and one-sided, but that disrespect those who built this country they enjoy and those who gave their lives to protect it from both hard and soft tyranny.
Demonstrators in Chicago hold up a sign reading ‘more dead cops’ during May Day protests in Chicago
Yet soft tyranny is what we have: a nanny state that tells us what is safe and what isn’t, what we can say and what is not politically correct to say; when we can and can’t pray; what our children should eat in schools; that makes traditional marriage no longer sacred; that refuses to recognize an enemy that has attacked us repeatedly and openly seeks to destroy us and our liberty; that tells us the greatest country ever established on the earth is bad and the only way to make it good is to transform it into something else.
Would those who fought and died to preserve America have been willing to give their lives if they had known what America would become and is becoming more so every day? I think not. I think they would have been appalled by the thought of it. I think if they were with us now, they would strongly resist such changes by speaking out passionately against them and by vigorously working to preserve our Constitutional system, our liberty, and our American way of life.
They would demand the limited powers granted to the federal government in the Constitution be adhered to, not ignored or twisted to allow ever expanding federal powers. They would welcome legal immigrants and their assimilation into our culture as Americans, not welcome illegal aliens. They would promote harmony among all citizens, not division among Americans based on race and class. They would defend American culture, its traditional values, its people, and Christianity, not criticize, blame, or disrespect them. And they would strongly condemn radical Islamism, not appease it. And we should do the same, to honor those who gave their “last full measure of devotion”, and to save ourselves from irreversible decline.
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