Veteran's Day

Today is Veteran's Day.  It used to be called Armistice Day.  The Official end of World War I- The War to End All Wars" or "The Great War" depending on which side of the pond you are-was on the Eleventh month, on the eleventh day at the eleventh hour.  World War II kind of put that notion, one of no more war, to rest.  But today I pause to sat, THANK YOU, to those brave souls who put themselves in harm's way to protect my freedom.  Recently, with all this nastiness surrounding the election, it has been suggested that those of us who voted the Democratic ticket are less than patriotic.  I have to take exception to that.  I would be willing to bet there are actually Service members, both past and present who may have voted for the Democrats.  I was raised by a WWII vet.  My family has served in every major conflict since the Revolutionary War.  I get a lump in my throat when I am at a parade and the flag comes by.  I sing the National Anthem, not just mouth it but give it all I've got, when it is sung at an event I am attending.  I vote in EVERY single election I can. Yes I vote mostly on the side of political causes that I believe in which lean toward the liberal,but here's my point.  The whole point of freedom is the right to say what you feel and to try to participate in the process of making things better.  If we all just nodded and let one side have their say and one side have all the power without a give and take between the ideological differences, wouldn't that be...Totalitarianism?  We have the right- no the DUTY- to make our disagreement with policies or laws known and move forward, together, to make a change.  I was brought up with the credo "I may not agree with what you say but I defend to the death your right to say it." Isn't that what the last few wars have been about?

Thank you, Veterans and those who are currently serving, who protect my rights and my freedoms.  I am forever in your debt.