"What now, Lieutenant?"
I don't know if I liked that phrase or not during my time at The Basic School at Marine Corps Base Quantico, but whenever I heard it I knew the point of action was finally here. Now that July has turned from the 4th to the 5th I get the same sort of feeling, that feeling of "well, what now?"
There are a lot of varying ideas on what Independence Day is all about, but for most people it comes down to the freedom that they enjoy. We can be and should be thankful for these freedoms. The ability to choose a religion (or choose not to) without government interference is a wonderful and rare opportunity. The fact that we can stand in front of the US Congress and tell them "You're doing it wrong" or for public commentators to call a political leader a dick and not be arrested is a tremendously good thing.
As we count our blessings and hopefully remember that there are men and women who signed up to ensure those blessings remain for future generations and are now spending time away from their loved ones in difficult conditions and living the movie Groundhog Day. It's very easy to drape yourself in the flag, but very difficult to actually live what that flag promises.
As we move on we must remember that if we enjoy the ability to be publicly Lutheran it is only enjoyed because other people can be publicly Muslim, Hindu, Shinto, or to publicly opt out of religious groups. The freedom we have to say "tax the rich" without fear of arrest exists only as long as our neighbor can say "tax the poor" without fear. Our personal freedoms are limited only by the requirement we acknowledge the basic humanity and freedoms inherent in all people regardless of origin, color, or creed.
So as we go through this year I encourage anyone to always remind themselves that the person on the opposite side of your opinion is as equally human, and while his reasoning may not be as valid using your personal logic his ability to reason and make his own decisions is something we must be careful to not infringe upon. I also ask people to remember the sacrifices that many people make to ensure these freedoms and to ensure the humanity of all. I do not fight for you, I fight for the gentlemen whose viewpoint you oppose. I may disagree vehemently with every word that comes from your mouth but I will defend to the death your ability to speak them. All I ask in return is that you remember the humanity inherent in all peoples of this world.
When you do, and when you are ready, ask yourself "what now?"