I am 56 and have an over-abundance of patriotism. Saturday we drove along Route 25 from Las Cruses New Mexico to Albuquerque to catch a flight home. We chose a quick detour and drove through Truth or Consequences because seriously, why wouldn’t you? The little town, once called Hot Springs, runs parallel to the Rio Grand and is the county seat of Sierra County. I’m not sure if at one point the Rio Grand was a robust river or maybe at a different time of year the waters run strong, but on this February 27th, there wasn’t much majestic about the famous river way.
As we cruised through the little town, scattered with a mixture of old and new buildings, we stumbled upon Veterans Memorial Park. This relatively large park housed one of the half-scale traveling Vietnam walls, complete with my fathers name on the first panel. The wall purchased by Truth or Consequence traveled the U.S. for three years before retiring in this memorial park. A large brick and concrete walk, shaped in the star of the Congressional Medal of Honor, is deemed the Walk of Education … and it was. Marble monuments stationed along the path, one for each war and military action since 1775 to Afghanistan, commemorated the story, intent, beginning and end of each conflict. Carved in stone were the number of lives lost and lives wounded. It was quite powerful to walk in the dry heat of New Mexico, somewhat in the middle of nowhere, a place called Truth or Consequence and be struck by the immensity of lives lost and bodies wounded in the pursuit of democracy. I literally can never see the following phrase without chills…
And then, and then, I feel disappointed and so concerned as I watch the state of the country and the election proceedings we are all witnessing. I never jump in the arena on Facebook. I never express my political opinions on Social Media. But how can you stand in a place, in small town middle America, which honors those lost, wounded and never found and not feel embarrassed by the actions of those stepping up to lead this country? In 240 years, over 1.1 million men and women have given their lives for the freedoms of America….paid the ultimate sacrifice. Double that have been wounded, returning to families and loved ones with visible wounds and in many cases worse invisible wounds. And of course, we currently have thousands of men and women standing in harms way, fighting for God and country, defending democracy. As this takes place, we have grown men and women, intelligent, powerful, educated men and women making a mockery of our system. Asking the American public to pick the best of the worst. Is this what men have died for? They paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we can watch men and women in suits mud wrestle slinging insults, telling lies, innuendos and half-truths. Seriously?
As I said at the beginning of this blog, I have a ridiculous amount of patriotism. I run red, white and blue. I was raised to believe in God and country. The men I have respected most in my life are/were Marines and Navy. Losing my father at 5 years old, I was raised to believe when men or women put on the uniform, they became heroes. To serve and protect, to defend. Men or women of honor, courage and faith. I am embarrassed that I am asking them to follow a future commander and chief who thinks nothing more of our system that it being a public forum to hurl insults, make jokes and demean others. Thus far, democrat or republic, the debates should be shown on day time TV, up against the Jerry Springer show.
As I walked the path of the Congressional Star honoring the men and women who make my life great, I was nothing more than saddened and embarrassed by the election I am currently witnessing. To all the candidates – grow up. Have some honor, decency and integrity. A lot of men and women shed blood to put you where you are.
