We're All Private Ryan
By Peter and Helen Evans (07/09/04)
Last night while flipping through the channels one last time before bed, we were shocked and amazed to see a young man urinating into a snow cone and then taking big bites of it, much to the delight of his companions. "So, that's entertainment," we thought disgustedly as we turned off the set.
Earlier the same evening we had watched with another type of amazement the 4th of July fireworks over the National Mall. We ooh'ed and aah'ed with thousands of others and felt a deep gratitude that we can witness loud, bright explosions in the sky with delight instead of running fearfully for cover, as they probably do in Iraq and Afghanistan these days.
These are just two extremes of the freedom that's ours to enjoy because of what our Founding Fathers and our brave military have done for us.
No one tells us how to use our freedom. Yet, especially on the 4th of July, when we listen closely to the lyrics of some songs we might be reminded of how very, very dear this freedom is. You all remember the lyrics to "God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood.
"And I'm proud to be an American
Where at least I know I'm free
And I won't forget the men who died
Who gave that right to me."
The problem is that a lot of us do forget that people really did die to give us our freedom. To many of us, they are nameless, faceless people who did something, somewhere, sometime, but not "for me." Because we didn't meet them, because they didn't tell us their dreams and aspirations, because we didn't see their families grieve the loss of loved ones, they are just names on headstones or fading photos in un-opened books.
Even when it's all over TV, war is still comfortably far away from us. Everywhere you looked in America after the Civil War was the wreckage or the wounded; there was no ignoring the cost of freedom. Now, because we have a volunteer military, we are so comfortable during this time of war that most of us don't truly believe we are at war.
We don't remember clearly the scene in "Saving Private Ryan;" it was near the end of the movie where Tom Hanks was dying and admonishing Private Ryan to "live a good life," to make his life worthy of the lives of those who had died saving his; but we remember our reaction. On our way out of the theatre we were relieved that we never had to go to war, that many soldiers didn't die saving us and that we didn't have to live up to such an admonition.
Then it dawned on us... we all are Private Ryan. Just because we are ignorant of exactly what our rescuers all did and when and where it all happened doesn't reduce the magnitude and nobility of their sacrifice. Just because we haven't personally looked them in the eye, doesn't relieve us of the debt we owe them.
We can only repay this debt to the past by living worthy lives right now. Without even knowing us, they gave their lives so that we could have the priceless gift of freedom. Let's make sure we don't piss it away.
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