WHILE THE holiday of today and this upcoming weekend translates into great department store sales, let us take a moment to reflect on what the day truly represents.
Today, if you're still scratching your heads, is Veterans Day. We honor the 48 million men and women who have served our country bravely since 1776 to preserve our freedoms. These are true heroes, and I'd be remiss if I didn't pay a tribute to them.
These courageous citizens sacrificed their college (and sometimes high school) education, time spent with their family and a life of relative luxury working in the private sector, suffered emotionally and physically and, for some, paid the ultimate price. These true heroes live a selfless life with little glory or recognition of all they have given up. Citizens our age, and even a few years younger, are currently overseas or in military training camps in the United States defending our nation.
Emblazoned on the Korean War Memorial in Washington, D.C., are the famous words, "Freedom is not free." All the freedoms we enjoy, and ones we even take for granted, were bought at a price -- freedom to choose or not to choose a religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom to protest peacefully. The very right to author and print this column was not secured by journalists, but by America's military strength. As Father Dennis Edward O'Brien of the United States Marine Corps noted, "It is the soldier, who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag."
People even have the freedom to demean our men and women in uniform, a freedom ensured to them by those same men and women, by calling them "baby killers" as they jog around the Rotunda (which has actually happened) to train for any mission their country calls them to complete.
It is difficult to think of how our entire political system and way of life would be severely altered if these rights that we assume were not safeguarded. The right to express our opinions -- be they social, political or religious -- is a privilege that many in the world do not have. Imagine what it would be like if you were forbidden to hold a religious group meeting on Grounds, organize a rally for a political cause, campaign for your favorite candidate, print an independent magazine or petition the state or national government for a specific grievance.
The liberty to learn about anything and everything at Mr. Jefferson's University is often overlooked. We take for granted something that we have lived with since the beginning of our educational careers, but think of those who live under totalitarian regimes, where the only knowledge they are imparted is deceitful propaganda. Contemplate if you can, for a second, what it would be like to only be fed lies and not have the right to intellectually question what you are being taught, something that is the epitome of our educational experience.
In Iraq and Afghanistan, for example, male students were only brainwashed with information dictated by Saddam's regime and the Taliban. Now, all students, including girls, receive a comprehensive education that isn't limited in scope. The ability to expand our horizons is something that should be treasured.
Take a moment today to reflect upon the great nation in which we live, and the countless millions who sacrificed their time, energy and even their lives for the survival of America's freedoms for generations to come. Take a minute to thank one of the 25 million living veterans who helped to guarantee your liberties. Encourage a group you are part of on Grounds to adopt a troop unit currently serving in Iraq, Afghanistan or anywhere around the world and send care packages for the holidays.
We keep hearing the line, "We support the troops, not the war" from anti-war protesters. Let us all abide by at least the former statement, and show our utmost gratitude to those giving their all to protect our nation and our freedoms.
Whitney Blake is a Cavalier Daily associate editor. She can be reached at wblake@cavalierdaily.com.
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