Heroes among us

We recently said goodbye to the son of dear friends who left home for boot camp. That day had been the young warrior’s dream since he was 13, and he had worked diligently toward it for six years. His name will not be revealed here because there is such evil afoot in today’s world that he cannot be openly praised without placing him in danger, and because of that evil we should all be grateful for the warriors like him who are willing to fight for our liberties and safety, at home and abroad. I invite you to join me in saluting their efforts and courage.

Another friend recently saw her grandson off to Afghanistan where he will serve for the next couple of years. He is a husband and father of two children under the age of three. His sacrifice is huge, for he will miss the many memorable moments that come with parenting babies and toddlers, the comfort of his beloved wife’s touch, the security of his home and homeland. His wife, children and extended family also sacrifice so that he can travel to a land barren of freedom and there attempt to thwart the advancement of tyranny, and protect from the evils of oppression those who patiently await his return.

Our military is comprised of many heroes. They put their safety and dreams aside to fight the good battle, and all of them pay a price for the honor. It may not be physical, although there are plenty who know that sacrifice. The images of war remain firmly imprinted on the soldier’s mind. They never forget.

The courage of our warriors is humbling and extraordinary. Many of us pray for their peace and resolve, and for the safety of all the military personnel and their families.

We can take solace in the knowledge that heroes live among us as well, and we need to recognize and honor them. Our law enforcement and firemen head the local list.

The next time you see the car of one of our esteemed law enforcement people alongside the road with lights flashing, consider the danger those officers face whenever they pull over a vehicle. Our culture has become obsessed with protecting the “rights” of every person who travels our highways and enters our towns, no matter their legal status or malice toward this country, citizens, and laws. Our obsession has resulted in eradicating many of the tools our law enforcement has successfully employed over the decades to control the criminal elements that assault our culture, and to protect our officers as they uphold the laws of our land. Were it not for our law enforcement, those with no regard for our laws or culture would have already won a war we shouldn’t have allowed to begin in the first place.

Our State Patrol, County Sheriff’s Department and Ritzville City Police Department are staffed by honorable souls who are willing to put it on the line daily to keep our communities safe despite the constraints and the threats. God bless them.

Our firemen are volunteers. Imagine putting yourself in that kind of danger to save lives and property and keep our town safe and in return receive no pay, benefits or retirement package, and a nominal hourly wage for only that time you spend fighting a blaze. They get to spend their free time training, practicing, on-call, responding whenever the sirens sound, and serving their community whenever fire, chemical spills, and myriad other dangers are present. Every one is a hero-in-waiting, and I invite you to join me in thanking them at the upcoming pancake feed on Memorial Day weekend, which they provide annually to a community that should treasure them.

So my enduring gratitude to every veteran who has served or is serving this country, to every law enforcement officer who is dedicated to preserving the public good, and to every fireman who is devoted to a safe community. I salute you and thank you for serving us so bravely!