A powerful reminder

Last night, I saw the new movie, "Flags of Our Fathers." It tells the stories of the men who raised the U.S. flag at the battle of Iwo Jima and returned home as war heroes. It is a powerful and thought-provoking movie, but I am most impressed by the fact that I have never filed out of a theatre when the movie was over in almost total, reverent silence until now.

Like most good war movies, there is no holding back when it comes to showing the raw, gritty, and gory nature of war. However, it also tells the stories of the men who fought and went on to tell the country about the battle and the other heroes who died on that island. I spent half the movie in tears, awed by the bravery of the guys who stepped up to sacrifice all for our freedom.

Perhaps often necessary, it is senseless that such violent wars are fought over petty things like land, money, oil, and power. Yet, I am amazed that we continue to have dedicated and proud individuals who willingly sign up to fight and protect human life, freedom, and democracy. I have always had great respect for our military, but I think so many people forget that whether or not we agree with the reasons they are fighting, we must wholeheartedly support the ones who step into the most dangerous and scary situations and fight for our freedom and the freedom of people around the world.

God bless our troops. We are right behind you guys!