Tomorrow is a day to stand next to a Veteran and thank him or her for their service. It is also a day to remember all veteran’s in all wars on all sides. We forget that even they gave their lives for causes they believe in and in the end, in many ways, it didn’t matter. People lost lives. That is what matters. As Carl Sagan once said, “Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that in glory and in triumph they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of the dot on scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner of the dot.” The “pale blue dot” is Earth. He talked about it being a speck of dust in the cosmic arena. I am a conscientious objector, I have been a warrior in too many past lives. I believe in causes, I believe in moral rights, and most importantly I believe in helping those who are victims. I think one day we will all wake up and realize the horrible cruelties we have done to each other. Question is will we be able to forgive each others and ourselves.

I digress, despite how I feel about my government, about violence, and about the direction this world is heading. I will still stand at my opa’s grave, still look into the eyes of a soldier on leave in the subway, or the old men sitting outside sharing old war stories at the local VWF… Thank you. Thank you for protecting those who couldn’t protect themselves, thank you for standing up to tyrants, thank you for giving your lives for others.