Dear Friends,
Today is a special day for me. It is Veterans Day, As I normally do
on my drive to the church, I will take a quick glance out my left window
to view the 7,002 individual flags that have been planted on the grounds
of Westminster Presbyterian Church. For a number of years, Joe Hein, the
church’s pastor and a good friend of mine, has chosen to honor our
military veterans with a display of 7,002 individual flags commemorating the
over 7,000 service men and women who have voluntarily surrendered their
lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Last Saturday I had the privilege of attending a service on the
grounds of the church as people from the community gathered in a service
to remember not only those who died in Afghanistan and Iraq, but those faithful
service men and women who throughout our history have fought and died to preserve
our freedom.
My dad was a retired army colonel who was the one in charge of
security on the military base in Oak Ridge, Tenn. where the first atomic bomb
was being secretly built. I attended Virginia Military Institute where I
initially had initial of a military career, and upon graduation from
seminary I taught and coached at a Military Prep School in Syracuse, NY.
While I remain a staunch supporter of our military, I am sure I am
still an enigma to some, for in 1968 I joined thousands of others young men
across our nation who turned in our draft cards in protest over the war in Viet
Nam. Unlike many who were written off as 'long haired, anti-American commies,'
I was a conservative, evangelical seminary student who chose
to drop my draft card in an offering plate at a seminary worship service in
Princeton, NJ.
I was a living contradiction to many, for on one hand I was
staunch supporter of our military, and yet I chose to become a Viet
Nam draft resister in a movement that was spreading across our land.
Having confessed to being a draft resistor during the
Viet Nam war, I also confess that to this day I am just as great a supporter of
the military as I was on the day I tendered my draft card in that seminary
worship service back in 1968.
I love this country and while never having served myself, I am
grateful for the millions of men and women who have served in my place, and who
have put their lives on the line in fighting to preserve my freedom. Whether
policemen, firemen, army, navy, marine, air force, or coast guard, I will
always go out of my way to thank them whenever I see them dressed in their
military garb. And to this day I never miss an opportunity to
e-mail and thank my friends who have faithfully served, especially those who
fought in Viet Nam. It doesn’t take much effort to say a personal thanks
to those who have served our nation, and I hope you will do so today and every
day.
I close by quoting a part of a message that was read at the
Field of Flags celebration that I attended last Saturday. It was given
ten years ago by retired General, John Kelly, at a Veterans Day Celebration.
His words provide ample justification for me to declare myself a proud flag
waving American who is grateful for the millions of men and women who have
proudly fought to preserve my freedom and the freedom of others around the
world.
I quote a part of General Kelly's speech. “America’s warriors
have never lost faith in their mission or doubted the correctness of their
cause. They face dangers every day that their countrymen safe and comfortable
this night cannot imagine. But this has always been the case in all the wars
our military have been sent to fight. Not to build empires, or enslave people,
but to free those held in the grip of tyrants while at the same time
protecting our nation its citizens, and our shared values. And, ladies and
gentlemen, think about this, the only territory we as a people have ever asked
for from any nation we have fought alongside , or against, since our founding,
the entire extent of our overseas empire, as a few hundred acres of land for
the 24 American cemeteries scattered around the globe. It is in these
cemeteries where 220,000 of our sons and daughters rest in glory for eternity,
or are memorialized forever in the deepest depths of the oceans or never
recovered from far flung and nameless battlefields. As a people we can be proud
because billions across the planet today live free, and billons yet unborn will
also enjoy the same freedom and a chance at prosperity because America sent its
sons and daughters out to fight and die for them, as much as for us.”
This is why I am still proud to wave the same flag that others
may choose to kneel before. Those who choose to kneel instead of
stand have every right to do so; however, they must never forget
that the freedom they enjoy was earned and preserved by the same
men and women we honor today who throughout the many years have fought to
preserve that freedom.
Yours in faith and friendship,
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