Their Mission, Our Mess

As Memorial Day approaches and chaos continues in Washington, DC, it's a good time to remember the price that our United States servicemembers pay to keep our nation afloat and defend our freedom. All kinds of mess transpires with politicians and pundits, yet patriotism is found in the hearts of the men and women who wear the uniform, and honor is due those who died doing so.

The controversies are many: Russia conspiracy theories, calls for impeachment, government leaks, fake news, dictators flexing muscles, protestsÂ…The list goes on. Never a dull moment do we see. And while we could spend much time discussing each of these, I'd rather discuss those who allow people to express themselves -- whether or not we like what they express.

I have great respect for our military. They sacrifice their own agenda for an agenda larger than themselves -- larger than all of us. When they sign up to represent the United States, they acknowledge that America's values, history, and future matter more than any one of us. So while we fight over politics and politicians, while we promote our own perspectives -- often over truth -- our military stand ready to defend our right to do so. They even defend our right to be wrong, and they do it to their own detriment, at the expense of their own safety. They take their marching orders and move forward.

As we have stayed in our safe spaces and fought from our own biases and limited cultural perspectives, soldiers have shed blood, battled and died. They have fought alongside people of different races, religions and socioeconomic backgrounds. Their names are engraved on tombstones in military graveyards next to those they regarded simply as their American brother or sister.

We allow issues to divide and bring out the worst in us. Many call for President Trump's removal today, and many called for President Obama's yesterday. The media are a joke, turning journalism into a vehicle to shape minds rather than inform them. Facts are an aside as we search for evidence to support what we already believe. Faux outrage is rampant, prompting protests that wreak havoc and demolish communities. We live in crazy times with little, if any, stability.

One thing remains unshakeable, however, and that is the soldier's dedication. The soldier remains steady, his/her focus unwavering. I guess it's a double-edged sword: Because the soldier is on alert, the rest of us are free to take our eyes off of what really matters -- often majoring in the minors in our campaign to be right, if not rational.

My dad fought in Vietnam, my uncle in Korea, and I just returned from New York to do presentations in school assemblies, where two students said they were going to be Marines. These are the heroes I applaud. Neither my dad nor my uncle is with us anymore, and I never fully appreciated their service when they were. I never thanked them for the price they paid, for all they sacrificed. But I did thank those students who said they believe their purpose is to be Marines one day. I thanked them ahead of time because anyone who can see the mess going on in the world and the danger we face and still desires to be a part of defending us has already earned my respect. And the fact that they know the price they pay may be the ultimate one and yet they still say, "Sign me up" lets me know that they recognize we have something special here. We may be doing our best to ruin it with our hotmessedness (Yep, I made that word up!), but the bravest among us defend our right to be those hot messes. They have made it their mission to defend even our mess.

But we owe them more.

I thank God for those who have died in service to this country. May we always remember, and may we honor their sacrifice by being true and faithful and fair. This nation gives us the right to be downright wrong, but let us strive to be upright instead, if for no other reason than that those who have died on our behalf are worth it, and they deserve at least that.

Adrienne Ross is an editor, writer, public speaker, former teacher and coach, Southeast Missourian editorial board member and owner of Adrienne Ross Communications.