A Return to Patriotism

            In today’s world of mass media, smart phones, the internet, widespread progressivism, and economic uncertainty, just about everybody can find varying opinions on the sources and solutions of America’s problems.  I firmly believe that one of the chief causes of The United States’ rise to global economic, political, and social prominence is the greatness of the military strength, including the heart and fervor with which the civilian population celebrated and supported the servicemen and women.  At some point in our nation’s relatively brief history, harsh criticism and outright opposition became the chic attitude for civilians to adopt.  We need to rally in support of the troops who are putting their lives on the line every minute of their deployments to preserve our freedoms, and to extend those freedoms to others.  This one simple change of attitude will increase our sense of national unity.  It will be a firm step towards a viable solution to our current problems.

            This return to patriotism will take a more concerted effort than previous generations have had to exert.  This, in my opinion, is due largely to the relatively small percentage of Americans who have family members in military service.  During World War II, over sixteen million Americans were in the military, according to veteranshour.com.  That is approximately 11.5% of the roughly one hundred-forty million Americans alive at the time.  Compare that to today’s numbers.  Currently, between the active duty and the reserve forces, there are approximately three million service members.  The current population of the United States is estimated at three hundred-twelve million.  That means only ninety-six hundredths of one percent of the population serves in the military.  Patriotism just isn’t on everyone’s mind like it once was.  However, it is very personal for me.  My maternal grandfather was in the Army Air Corps; my paternal grandfather was a Marine during the Korean War.  My dad’s younger brother was a Marine for well over twenty years, and he fought in both Gulf Wars.  His son was a third-generation Marine.  My younger brother is in the Navy.   Another cousin is training to be a Combat Controller in the Air Force  I am seeking a commission through AFROTC.

            In addition to the decreasing number of Americans that is directly affected by family members’ deployments, the media has played an enormous role in the deterioration of America’s patriotic spirit.  Field reporters, along with the technological advancements that have come over the last several decades, have given the American public a much more in depth and intimate perspective on the horrors of war.  Rather than adopting an attitude of gratitude for the sacrifices the men and women on the fronts were making, media outlets, especially during the Vietnam War, began condemning the operations, including all the men and women who were involved.  This generally negative view of the military has held in the media to some extent over the past forty to fifty years.  Let us remember with reverence, for all gave some, yet some gave all.

             Now, there are many who would have you believe that America is wrong, and Americanism is bad, because of military operations in the Middle East and in Europe over the past twenty to thirty years.  They say that we have no justifiable cause for being there, and that we are looking out only for our own interests.  To these detractors I say that if it were not for the US, how many Kuwaiti, Iraqi, Afghani, and Serbian and Yugoslavian innocents would have been raped, murdered or tortured in the past two decades?  How many hundreds of millions of Arabs and Israelis would have been obliterated by nuclear arms had the US not managed during Desert Shield and Desert Storm to keep Israel out of the fighting?  In Iraq and Afghanistan in recent years, our soldiers, airmen, sailors, and marines have become school builders, hospital builders, peacekeepers, and providers of a vast array of types of humanitarian aid and relief.  Remember that the nation’s military force is an extension of its overall political strength, and has been so in every country throughout our world’s history.

            Other voices in our society take a different, more selfish stance.  People say that it is wrong for us to send our young men into foreign countries to fight and die for others’ freedom and safety.  First and foremost, no man or women is compelled to join the military in our great nation!  Everyone who joins does so knowing full well that there is a possibility that he or she will be called upon to give up his or her life for another’s sake.  Trust me, we know what we are doing!  Secondly, what right have you got to deny the freedoms that you enjoy to those who are less fortunate than you are?  The Lord said, “Of him, unto who much is given, much is required” (D&C 82:3).  Uncle Ben echoed this sentiment when he told Peter that with great power comes great responsibility.  We cannot hope to maintain a clear conscious, to stand blameless before God at the last day if we, having been given much, do not share it in turn.

So what can Joe American do?  The most important step is to have the desire to love his country.  From there, he can and ought to seek to educate himself on the issues and current military operations.  There are myriad organizations that support military awareness amongst civilians.  Anyone is welcome to join them.  To find out more about some of these groups, one can visit www.nationalresourcedirectory.gov/other_services_and_resources/volunteer_organizations/military_appreciation.  Furthermore, one can engage in all sorts of civic activities, aside from those related to the military to enhance one’s love for and respect of the country.

The long and short of this editorial is that involvement is crucial to develop and to maintain one’s patriotism.  I think that John Stuart Mill spoke well when he said, “War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things.  The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse.”  We, as a society, are nearing all too quickly that “decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling”.  Let us all be heedful and steadfast, that we may preserve our freedoms and this country with which God has blessed us.  Get educated.  Be involved.  Return to patriotism.