Thank a Vet. While You’re At It, Thank An Active Duty Military Member As Well.

Happy Veteran’s Day to all that have served our great country. Those that are still serving, thank you too. In the United States we have the freedom to designate specific days to give thanks to those individuals that have made a real impact on the development and continued growth of our country. No other day is more necessary than Veteran’s Day. It’s really not enough though. One day a year to go out of our way to thank those that dodged bullets and lost their best friends in battle so that we could go to our favorite bar and watch football or eat at the restaurant of our choosing. Nothing is more disproportionate than that.

I have a friend who has been shot at in the most dangerous city in the world in Iraq and another who flies soldiers in and out of combat zones. My cousin is a former Army Ranger seeing active duty in the Middle East. Many of my generation’s grandfathers or fathers fought bravely in World War 2 or Vietnam. Because these guys did and do this, I can safely get in my Jeep and drive to the beach and enjoy the day. They don’t talk about it and they don’t expect to be thanked. Yet no one should be thanked more. Quite honestly this is hard for me to wrap my mind around. Not only have they risked their lives for our lives and freedoms, they continue to stand in line to do so. They do this all the while realizing that when they go, or when they went, they could be kissing their wife holding their baby for the last time.

I go to work everyday to protect the rights of those accused of crime. Some are guilty, some are innocent. All have fundamental rights that protect them from a potentially overreaching government. My job as a criminal lawyer is not possible but for the sacrifice offered by Veterans. Our system is not perfect but it is the best we have. To think of the legal systems in place in other countries that punish sexual assault victims for being raped and jail those who wish to speak their mind is frightening. We don’t have to worry about that here because someone you know had courage enough to stand and fight so that we wouldn’t have to.

In closing, thank a Vet or active duty member of the military for what they do. I couldn’t write this and you couldn’t read it if it weren’t for their sacrifice. Happy Veteran’s Day.