Sacrifice and patriotism hitting home
Posted by Patrick Sweeney on Sun, Oct 11, 2009
As my neighbor was doing his weekly grocery shopping he was stopped in his tracks by a beautiful young girl collapsing onto an outdoor bench and sobbing uncontrollably in front of the store. He instinctively asked if she was alright and needed help. The woman's response was that she just learned her fiance was killed in Afghanistan. They were together just a month ago when he was on leave.
This morning I was honored to ride my motorcycle in escort of that fallen soldier: SPC Stephen Mace of the 61st Armored Cavalry. Mace was a man that each and every American owes an eternal debt of gratitude. This man, who was just old enough to have his first legal beer this year, was caught in a vicious firefight in Afghanistan when the Taliban attacked a remote outpost - killing eight US soldiers. What moved me so much during the 15 mile, almost hour-long, motorcade was the outpouring of respect and appreciation that this Northern Virginia community showed.
As the motorcade crawled along the route the entire fabric of our country was woven on the side of the road. We passed uniformed Korean and Vietnam veterans standing at attention. There were women who didn't know Mace weeping a mother's tears alongside stoic looking men staring out at the motorcade; jaws locked in profound gratitude and the fire of anger for an enemy that would slaughter everyone of us just for being American. There was hope in our future - cub scouts were out saluting with a first and second finger raised to their brow, little girls came out from church wondering why there was a parade on a chilly Sunday morning, their parents trying to explain the turn of events that broke the silence of our rural community. I witnessed the quilt of patriotism and love that sets our country apart from our enemy's.
America is a different place after 9/11. The most patriotic days in our country in a long time were 9/12 and 9/13. In the years since, many of us have let the memory of our enemy's desperate mission of hatred slip our mind. Fundamental Islamic terrorist won't rest until they kill as many infidels as possible. No matter what politicians may say in rhetoric the infidels are us. We are the dominating western force built as "One nation under God". We're a Christian nation that is grounded in an acute sense of propriety, and they detest that about America. A moment like today hits home that those beasts are still there, still trying their best to spill the blood of every American, just because we are American. Every man woman and child is fair game to these cowards.
There's nothing anyone can say to that fiancé, to Mace's mother, to the brothers and friends except Thank you. As Americans with the freedoms to say, do, be whatever we love to do we are eternally in Stephen's, and every other soldiers' debt.
"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God such men lived".
- Gen George S. Patton