Common Sense

For some of you, today is just a day off from work. You’re going to do some grilling and maybe get stupid drunk. That’s OK.

But for some of us, today is a good day to remember those who have given their lives for this country. People like Pat Tillman.

Before I say anything else, I want to make sure you understand that I consider Tillman’s death no less honorable than the men who fell at Normandy. Whatever the specifics, he was there by choice to serve his country and we should thank our lucky stars that people like him exist.

The way he was treated in death was the disgrace. The cover up, the lying and the way the Pentagon tried to wage a PR campaign with this is what I find cowardly.

As Lincoln said in his Gettysburg Address, the sacrifice of Tillman and the thousands of others in Iraq and Afghanistan have consecrated the ground far more than our “meager” attempts could ever accomplish. If there is a heaven, then they are surely there because of their willingness to give their lives for ours. If there is a great dining hall for warriors in the afterlife, then surely they are there feasting and content.

It is left to those of us alive to honor their sacrifice and to thank them for their selflessness. And to make sure that we never forget that their sacrifice is not a light one. It is up to us to make sure that they do not sacrifice in vain and that the wars in which they gave their lives are not worthless endeavors.