Rick Notkin: Service members, not letters, fight for America's freedom

To The Daily Sun,

Some thoughts have floated through my head after attending the nice Veterans Day ceremony in Laconia.

Veterans Day now honors all active and retired armed forces members. It matters not whether they served in wartime or peacetime or whether they volunteered or were drafted. Circumstances could change at any time. They wore the uniform and took up arms to protect the Constitutional Republic in which we live.

I think that even people who oppose a particular kinetic action can have some respect for the people who stepped up.

This is in interesting contrast to people who indulge in meaningless gestures but believe that they’re fighting some sort of fight. You know who I mean. The folks with the multi-sloganed signs in their yards proclaiming that “no human is illegal” (no, they’re just here illegally) or “love is love” (Does that mean that I can have an intimate relationship with a family member?). Or the people who fly the gay pride flag well after June. Or the folks and the media who continue to propagate the notion that the majority of our country are people who hate, so congregants fight that hate by turning on lights at houses of worship. Those lights will teach them haters.

Recently, I saw a cartoon posted online that had several people who were portrayed as racists. There were several media and camera people focused on them while behind them were a great many people holding signs with positive slogans. I futilely tried to point out that their cartoon illustrated the opposite of what they were trying to say — that the majority are haters. Sigh.

Freedom isn’t free. For practical purposes, tyranny is antithetical to freedom.

Again, I’m sure that I don’t agree with all of America’s military actions. I’m also sure that I know of no other country that permits the degree of free expression (including actually peaceful protests) that is allowed here. Actually, such expressions are enshrined in our Constitution. You know, the old parchment that outlines restrictions on government. I shudder to think of how some Americans would be treated in other countries if they acted there the way they can act here. I guess that I’m not a “love it or leave it” American. We have room for civil discourse.

I’m glad that people can express themselves via virtue signaling. I generally don’t agree with slogans that can fit on yard sign, bumper stickers, or t-shirts, but do your thing without violation the rights of others.

As unpleasant as it sounds, and can actually be, sometimes one has to actually fight for freedom. Stern letters to the editor or tweets just don’t get the job done.

Rick Notkin

Gilford