War and Patriotism

Rows of M16’s standing barrel into the dirt, The helmets of men sitting on top.   Such scenes form a memorial to the men and women who gave their lives to defend their country.   These men and women are well placed, when defined as patriots as patriots.   Yet in the eyes of some people, defending your country is only one side of patriotism.   General Patton defined patriotism as “Not dying for your country, but making the enemy die for his.”   It is not necessarily the actions that count, but also the motives behind those actions.   A soldier walking onto a battlefield, having to know that at any moment, you could be shot, blown to pieces, or turned into a prisoner of war, never to see those you love and care for again.  



Being willing to risk everything for your country; that can ultimately be defined as patriotism.   Wars cause the loss of many men.   Not only is it a loss to a nation, but also even more so to the people associated with those men and women.   Families, parents, husbands, wives, and children, who might never see that person again.   People might ask, “You’re only one person, what difference can you possibly make?”   On the other hand, “How can you be so willing to ‘throw it all away’?”   It has been proven throughout the centuries that one man can do great things.   Individuals going on to gain the support of millions, build empires whether economical or political, and Aid in the technological advances that have and are still taking place.   As for throwing it all away, it could be more properly described as “Defending your freedoms”.   Here in the United States, we have many things that people in foreign countries do not, and we take many of them for granted.   Think of the wars this nation has been through, and think of what would have happened if nobody had gone to serve our country when it came time to do so.   We might still be a feather in Great Britain’s hat, paying our daily tribute to Hitler, or serving Allah.  


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