Reflecting on Veterans Day

By Dave Emanuel, Snellville

For many Gwinnett County residents, and their counterparts all across the nation, today is just another Thursday in the month of November. They'll begin the day ready to follow the same routine they do every Thursday, until they realize it's Veterans Day. For some people, that means a day off from work or school; for others the day's significance is the inconvenience of finding a business or government agency closed. But for the men and women who have served, are currently serving or have friends and family in the military, the day has far more significance. It should for all Americans.

Veterans (past and present) have risked the most precious thing they have to ensure the preservation of the freedoms we all take for granted. As you read this,
consider your fortune of being able to not only read, but to respond to any article posted on a web site or printed on paper. That fortune continues to exist because of this country's military veterans.

You may disagree with that statement. Since the very early days of this country, the United States military has never had to fight off foreign invaders. In fact, you could argue that for over a century, the American military has spent more time fighting other countries' wars than our own. Some of these wars were morally or ethically wrong and engaging in them certainly didn't do much to preserve American freedom.

Or did it. What would the world look like today if American service personnel hadn't fought in the World Wars? What threats would have emerged from Korea or Viet Nam had there been no American military presence? What long term effect will result from American involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan? Possibly none. Many of these wars seem to have no relevance to our freedom or well-being and were/are unpopular; their only visible result appears to be the monuments built in honor of Americans who never came home.

Appearances can be deceiving; world events have a habit of making unexpected turns in the wrong direction. Fortunately, we'll never experience the "what if" doomsday scenarios that might have occurred had it not been for the men and women of the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force. We all owe those men and women our deepest gratitude. Today is an especially good day to express it.