HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARINES!

I Support Troops All the Way
By Jonathan David Perez

I was standing in my Junior ROTC uniform when a fellow student came up to me, and just out of nowhere he started to mock me. He told me that I'm stupid, that I'm wrong to want to be in the military. I'm always filled with pride when I'm wearing my uniform. The phrase "The few, the proud, the Marines" always comes to my mind -- men and women who put their lives on the line for freedom.

Not all of my classmates are supportive of me and my friends who also are in uniform in high school. They just don't understand. Nor do many Americans.

I support the military. No matter what branch, our men and women in uniform put their lives on the line for all Americans -- even those who may not appreciate their sacrifice. I love my freedom, and the men and women who fight for it are my heroes. So many Americans, especially youth, are spoiled -- they never have to work for anything.

Opportunities abound -- everyone is given the opportunity to get an education, to get a job, to have a roof over their head. A lot of countries around the world don't have what the United States has. Yet too many Americans are stuck on the belief that you do not have to work for freedom, that freedom cannot be taken away.

They do not see the bigger picture. What if this country were left unguarded? Someone -- some group or foreign nation or any foe of freedom -- could take over and deny us our precious freedom. There are enemies of the United States with one goal in mind, which is to take over the land of the free.

How safe would our city be if there were no police officers to arrest lawbreakers? Well, just look at the United States as if it were our city and our military is our worldwide police force.

In some other countries civilians deal with terrorist attacks on a daily basis; there are countries with militias that have more power than their governments. Guerrillas are free to grab anything from innocent people, to abuse them physically and threaten them, leaving them with nothing. Now just imagine: How would you handle it if every penny you make and every ounce of food you buy could be snatched by a militia?

This country gives all citizens a freedom that no other country can offer. It gives everyone an opportunity to live a successful life. Yet, for many Americans, that is not enough. Privileged and spoiled, they expect success to come to them -- especially material success. They forget the hard times our ancestors endured to secure the rights and freedoms that we take for granted today.

I watch in somewhat of a state of shock when I turn on the television. So often I see celebrities, music superstars and pop icons talk down our military and our president. These celebrities have a big influence on today's youth. Everyone has a perception about life, but how do they gain it? Do they actually learn, watch the news or read a newspaper? Or do they live in a false reality influenced by what some singer said in a song or what some actor spouted off about politics?

That's the danger for young Americans -- to live in a false reality.To fight for our country is our military's job. Our armed forces do their job very well. Too many Americans are focused on the war and how it affects them; they use the troops as a cover-up for their own selfishness.

Arguing and complaining, criticizing the war and constantly chanting "bring our troops home" do nothing to support them. Our men and women in uniform are out there, doing their job. They do not want to hear how their months in service fighting in a war were wrong.

Americans forget how much a simple thank you can mean. After everything our soldiers go through, a simple thank you is all they need from us.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/letters/orl-newvoices10a07nov10,0,6348114.story