Monday, August 8, 2011

We are not worthy

30 American soldiers were killed in Afghanistan this weekend. 365 have been killed so far this year. Whether you agree with the war or not, it is sobering to think about our fellow citizens giving their lives so that we may be safer.

But we don't deserve their sacrifice.


While our soldiers are overseas fighting to protect the American ideal of freedom and democracy, our politicians are doing their best to make sure that ideal no longer exists. They play games with our economy to gain political points, knowing full well their actions will cause suffering for millions of Americans.

We don't deserve their sacrifice.

While these brave men and women risk their lives in unknown lands, we send pathologically flawed misfits to represent us in Washington. We succumb to campaign-trail promises and fail to hold their feet to the fire when they inevitably toss our interests aside.

We don't deserve their sacrifice.

While these kids barely out of high school are witness to some of the worst human tragedy imaginable, we sit on our ample asses and allow our rights to be systematically shredded, our institutions dismantled and our political process turned into a circus.

We don't deserve their sacrifice.

While these soldiers wonder if the next trip they take might be their last, we allow ourselves to be distracted by 'real' housewives and dancing 'stars', oblivious to the workings of our government that has been funneling power to corporations and the uber-wealthy for over a generation.

We don't deserve their sacrifice.

And yet thousands of our finest men and women still choose to make that sacrifice every day.

Don't you think it's time for us to earn it?

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