those who served

our responsibility

Annapolis is a quite small town, regardless of the incredibly expensive yachts, the touristas, the Naval Academy, and the state capital. Our Memorial Day parade, as far as we could tell, was truly homegrown: a single band and dancers from a local school, a group proselytising for Jesus, women from a Tea Party chapter commemorating a female I wasn’t familiar with (and sadly cannot recall), and more emergency vehicles than the entire state of Wyoming (it seemed).

As we wound our way through the tourists walking home, a handful of men (I don’t recall any women) proudly wearing garb and medals from their years of national service sat quietly along the streets, often alone.

Arriving home, I saw what is increasingly common warning online about kids rifling through unlocked cars in our community. We know it’s kids because so many people document these events on home video cameras. Police rarely have time for that crime yet it doesn’t seem to dawn on everyone that locking the car is a spectacular deterrent to this action.

I could not help but note the juxtaposition of the sense of entitlement these punks evidence versus the pride veterans displayed around the City Dock or on a nearby bench. I am yet to hear any veteran really comfortable with those who thank them for their service. Veterans served, certainly after we became a volunteer force in 1973 and many before that as well, because they wanted to or because they believed it the right thing to do or because they wanted to make a difference in something bigger than themselves. Certainly I have never met all who served but I did work with many military officers over my career.

Kids who think that an open door in a car entitles them to whatever is inside cannot think past themselves. Most people, in fact, don’t think beyond themselves as I said to someone this afternoon; it’s human nature, I guess.

Veterans are not perfect nor were those who we lost in war. I worked with a lot of self-absorbed military personnel, too. No one, repeat none of us, is perfect but so many women and men sign up knowing they may put a cause above their own basic instincts for comfort and safety.

We are a nation of millions. I suppose we have always been dedicated to self first and foremost but it certainly seems disheartening right now as so many selves come up against each other rather than in concert with each other.FIN