It's the soldier, not the reporter who has given us Freedom of the Press. It's the soldier, not the poet, who has given us Freedom of Speech. It's the soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us the Freedom to Demonstrate. It's the soldier, not the lawyer, who has given us the Right to a Fair Trial. It's the soldier who salutes the flag, serves under the flag and whose coffin is draped by the flag, Who gives the protestor the right to burn the flag.-Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, USMC
I'm trying to understand, in the present context, in what way this is actually true. I guess we may have been threatened in 1812, though the result - British rule - may have been preferable to our present situation.
ReplyDeleteNo disrespect to the bravery of our soldier - a willingness to serve can be a brave and noble thing.
All these freedoms in the US came because popular militias overthrew the Crown's rule.
ReplyDeleteIf, say, Alaska declared its independence, citing the federal taxation that was much higher than King George's and unlawful overseas wars, I bet US soldiers would slaughter every man, woman and child there.
Hmm. That's a thought. They'd have some bargaining power because of the oil.
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