War and Freedom

I read an article in the Charlotte Observer about a marine who lost his life on July 7, 2011.

What people who just talk about war—people like me—sometimes fail to understand sometimes is that a bigger issue is at play. The bigger issue is that people fight wars.

They generally aren’t the people who are just talking about the wars.

They are the kids, the dads, the moms, the sons, the daughters, and the brothers and sisters who put their lives on the line to defend--not just our nation, not just our people, but our neighborhoods, my neighborhood, my people, my family, my kids.

So thank you Staff Sgt. Thomas J. Dudley for your sacrifice. I get to watch my children grown up because you made the decision to offer your life as a payment for our freedom.