Respect and honor

This week I spent some time in and around DC this week. One of the first stops was Arlington. Walking that sacred ground, it was impossible not to be taken in by the enormity. Rows of white stones ran on forever. So many had sacrificed so much for what? For a country? A flag? For an ideal. An ideal of freedom, equality, and life. Since Westerners first started to settle this continent, people have risked everything for this ideal. People risked storms, diseases, and untold dangers to come here and escape poverty, persecution, and oppression.

Almost immediately, that ideal was polluted. Slavery, persecution of the natives, war, and governing tyrrany were all contrary to this ideal. Dark, imperfect history, warts and all. So much sacrificed for the ideal. Such fields of the dead, those who have given everything for this ideal, and each other.

Also in DC, I went to see the WWII Memorial. Like Arlington, this place was very sacred to me. The Nazis and Japanese were people of great cruelty. Both viewed themselves as genetically and racially superior. Both decided that other nations were vermin, dogs, less than human. Both viciously attacked other nations (the Germans killed well, everyone. The Japanese did so to Americans and especially Chinese). It was one of the darkest times of human history. If you think its exaggerated, go to the Holocast Museum in DC. In that time, men and women of all nations rose to a greatness capable of conquering the darkness. When everything is darkest, the light shines the brightest. The Greatest Generation. That is why that place meant so much to me.

I must do a slight rant. I just can't get over that they let commerical airliners fly over Arlington. We saw the changing of guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. As we walked away, Taps came floating over the hill. It seemed ghostly. Everyone around us stopped moving, and became silent in respect. The fact that for convenience planes can desecrate that sacred place with noise pollution is disgusting.

Show some respect and honor. Even if you don't agree with war, honor the sacrifices of so many. Try to find a way to live the ideals of our nation, in a world that it is becoming harder to do so.