 | Are You A Patriot?
(March 13, 2008) | 
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Today I ask a question again,
"Are you a patriot?" Have you ever stopped to
consider it? Do you really know what the word,
patriot, means?
According to Dictonary.com the word patriot is
defined as follows:
Pa - tri - ot : noun 1. a person who loves, supports
and defends his or her country and its interests
with devotion 2. a person who regards himself or
herself as a defender, esp. of individual rights,
against presumed interference by the federal
government. |
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| Let's explore these two
ideas a little more, shall we?
Do you have to be a soldier willing to give your life in
battle to be a patriot? No, you don't. Of course there are
quite a few patriots who fill the ranks of our military but
that doesn't mean that you can't love and defend your
country in other ways. Do you support your military? By that
I mean the men and women who serve. Do you vote? Do you do
your best to live your life in accordance with the laws of
this great country and try to teach your children to do the
same? Do you hold this nation above all others? (If not,
please feel free to immigrate to your favorite nation of
choice.) There are many ways to "support and defend" that
don't involve military service.
In regard to definition number two, do you think that means
armed rebellion? Of course those who fought to create this
great nation had to do that but that doesn't mean that is
the only course, especially today. We have the power to
change our government with our votes and our influence. Have
you seen something the government has done wrong? Did you do
anything about it? Did you tell someone? Did you write your
Congressmen and women? Did you start or join a grass roots
organization to stump for an issue? Did you vote for someone
who you believe will right the wrong in question rather than
the one who was involved but has been in Congress forever?
If not, why not? Don't believe you can make a difference
alone? Maybe, maybe not but if you pull together with those
who share the same opinion you can move mountains.
Believe me a politician's first priority is to get elected
followed very closely by the second which is to get
reelected. Have you ever watched ants? They are amazing
creatures that are capable of lifting and carrying many
times their own size and weight. Yet even they sometimes
find something to big to carry home for supper. So what do
they do, give up? No, they bring over some of their buddies
and either work together to carry the load or they split the
load among them. Who said we can't learn something from
nature?! We're all in this together. To paraphrase a
founding father, if we don't all stand together we shall
surely all hang separately.
Yes, I asked a lot of questions this time around and didn't
provide that many answers. My job is not to give you the
answers but to encourage you to think regardless of whether
or not you agree with me. The questions are for you to
answer for yourself and my answers may not be your answers.
Find your answers and move your mountains.
Take care my friends and may God richly bless and protect
you and your families until we speak again. |
ITC Lee Crowson, USN
Copyright 2008 About Author:
Chief Crowson is an Information Systems Technician for the
Navy Reserve who is currently serving on active duty at
Commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command in New Orleans, LA.
During his career in addition to his role as a
communications operator he has functioned as an instructor
for personnel entering the Navy Reserve with no prior
military experience. His other duties included serving with
Navy Coastal Warfare, a part of Navy Expeditionary Combat
Command, and with Navy Expeditionary Logistics Group
deploying both to the Middle East and to Guantanamo Bay,
Cuba.
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