Quote:
"It is the soldier, not the reporter, Who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet, Who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the organizer, Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.
It is the soldier, Who salutes the flag, Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag, Who allows the protestor to burn the flag."
This is terribly wrong! Soldiers don't bring freedom. That is not their job.
Every nation from Ancient Egypt, to Imperial Rome, to the European Monarchies to the Islamic Empire... they have all had soldiers who pretty much do what soldiers do today. They follow the orders of the rulers of their society... sometime for good, and sometimes for ill... but solders don't bring freedom.
It is American citizens who have fought for, earned and defended freedom. They broke laws, defied authority and stood up for what they believed, often against the powerful in government.
Who are those brave souls to whom we owe so much. It is Thoreau who went to jail to oppose an injust war. It is Harriet Tubman who after escaping slavery risked her life to save others. It is Martin Luther King who kept peace to bring much needed change.
I am not saying the soldiers aren't needed. Their role to "provide for the common defense" is important and Constitutional.
But America is much more than its military. The writers, poets, demonstrators, philosophers, teachers and firefighters are what make America great! The courage of Medgar Evers is as great as any soldier, and his contribution was as well.
Soldiers are a part of America, and they have their role to play.
But soldiers don't bring freedom. Soldiers operate with the support of, and in service of the Americans who do.
