Few people hate war more than an old warrior. It is a very small percentage of the military that experiences battle and an even smaller percentage of society. Those who experience it rarely talk about it. I served in the military, but I am not a combat veteran, therefore I cannot relate to the pain and the horror of battle. However as a retired law enforcement officer, I find that it is impossible to explain experiences that are deeply imprinted upon my memory to people who have never worked as a patrol officer. They simply cannot relate to my world and I cannot relate to the world of a combat veteran.
As we celebrate Memorial Day, it is important to remember that the world of a combat veteran is far removed from the normalcy of society. Their experiences are not normal. Their sacrifices are above and beyond societal norms. More than anyone else, they understand the price of freedom and the cost of corrupt government. They have experienced the battles fought for the cause of freedom and liberty. They have also experienced loss as endless wars are built upon political disputes, greed and misguided causes. Every casket carried off a C-130 to be placed in its final resting place reminds us of the heavy cost of war.
If we must send our best and brightest to the battlefields of the world, it is vital that we carefully weigh the cost of war with the moral test of waging war. Is the war a just war? Is it being waged for a just cause? Can we trust our government officials to be truthful to us and wise in their management of the crises? In my estimation, war should be rare. War should only be fought as a legitimate use of force to dismantle the structure of evil in a society. That evil must be so significant that it requires the use of force to preserve life and the pursuit of liberty.
Warriors live by a code of honor. It is a travesty when dishonorable government officials send honorable men and women into battle. Dishonorable people should never be elected to office. As we navigate this time of political detoxification we should endeavor to guard against any future acts of dishonorable declarations of war. We should endeavor to always remember the sacrifices made by honorable combat veterans. They performed their duties without wavering and with great courage.
God never sent Israel into battle unless the cause was a righteous cause. When God did send them into battle, God provided then with mental preparation and the means to victory. The battle between good and evil is real and sometimes that battle is manifested into a physical altercation. Therefore, God gave these encouraging words to Joshua before sending him into battle. “Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shall you divide for an inheritance the land, which I swear unto their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded you: Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper where ever you go.” God assigned Joshua to go into battle against societies that were involved in sorts of evil including child sacrifice, pedophilia, sodomy, murder, theft, sexual perversion, unjust slavery and even an early form of human trafficking. This was a just cause and God sent warriors to enact God’s judgment against wickedness.
We instinctively know when justice is not prevailing in a society. We know when evil rules over a nation and we are repulsed by it. We demand justice and go to battle to defeat evil. When the authorities fail to engage against evil we suffer the pains of injustice. This is the reason some wars must be fought and some warriors give the ultimate sacrifice. They fight so others might live and enjoy the serenity of peace, liberty and justice. This Memorial Daylet us honor their memory.
By Jeff “The Brain” Claiborne
Staff Writer
The Vortex Apologetic
The Vortex Apologetic 