Nearly five years ago I signed a document that would affect me for years to come. Shortly after 9/11 I joined the military and made a number of commitments that would guide my life in all sorts of voluntary and non-voluntary ways for the six years to come. While there are many aspects of that decision that I now regret, and I would not do it again if I had the benefit of hindsight, I am still proud that I made that call. Today I am making another commitment. This is a commitment that has been true, at least in spirit, for some time now, but I have decided to put it to paper (although, strictly speaking, no actual paper is involved). Today I commit to fight in defense of the parts of America I value most and against the things I detest.
Really, this particular commitment is not all that different from the previous one, although it doesn't involve guns or push-ups (I'll be glad to be done with those in a little over a year and don't intend to go back to either for awhile). My oath of enlistment was, first and foremost, to defend the constitution. That is basically what I'm meaning today.
America has changed a great deal in the last 5 years. Many of those changes are actually the results of problems and fears that had been simmering for years, and many of those changes are new. Very few of them are good. The gap between rich and poor continues to grow. Racism has begun to become less a thing hidden from view and more an open disdain for difference. Guantano Bay, along with the broader "war" on terror has made what was once a surplus of global support for America into a gaping hole of anger.
I recently returned from leave, I've only been back in Iraq for a couple of days, and on my way I posted a diary about the willful ignorance of the war's supporters. In it I made a comment that it is not, generally speaking, the job of soldiers to fight for political change or battle public opinion. I continue to believe that's true. But today I'm committing to do it anyway. I just finished reading the diary My Ex just returned from Guantanamo, and was once again reminded of all the men and women who sacrifice their time and mental resources to help save whatever is left of the Great Experiment. It has made me want to do something too.
Of course, I am in Iraq right now. Generally speaking, I work 78 hours a week, so I can't promise a lot right now. But I'll do my best. And after I'm back, any of you can count on me in the fight for America's heart. I'm there; count me in. That said, here are a few of the things I pledge to fight for, and feel free to add more in the comments.
I pledge to fight for equality of opportunity in education and the workplace, no matter the persons race, creed, or class.
I pledge to support equal rights for men and women everywhere.
I pledge to fight for freedom of choice in all matters concerning an individual's body.
I pledge to support politicians who understand and respond to the citizenry all of the time, not just during election years.
I pledge to fight against cruel and unusual punishment in all its forms and to defend the rights to habeus corpus and a fair trial.
I pledge that no one American is intrinsically worth more then any other one American. We are all born equal. p.e.r.i.o.d.
I pledge to attempt, as best I can, to understand those periods of my nations history that are unpleasant so that I can help prevent them from happening again.