Veterans Day

Every year I try to post something thoughtful for Veterans Day.  This year my words are failing me, so I am sharing the words of those more eloquent than I.

"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation." – George Washington

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” – John Fitzgerald Kennedy

“How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!” – Maya Angelou

I saved the best for last.

“The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.”  - Douglas MacArthur

Remembering Veteran's Day with a field of poppies

Don’t Rock the Vote Until You Do Your Homework

Voting is both a right and a privilege.  It is how “we the people” play our part in government. In short, it is important – much too important to be done on a whim. Yes, if you are registered you should vote in this very important election, but you need to do your homework first.

Your vote is your own. It should reflect your thoughts on the issues at hand. It doesn’t matter which celebrities support a candidate. It doesn’t matter if your Facebook friends say that anybody who votes for the other side is an idiot.  It doesn’t matter how your spouse or your parents vote. You are alone in the voting booth and you alone are responsible for the choices that you make.

Don’t base your decisions on a candidate’s speeches. Go to their website and read their policies. Get to know what they really stand for, what they really believe in.  Campaign appearances are carefully created to get you excited. Look for the substance under the sparkle.

Don’t get your news from just one source.  Expand your reading/watching so that you will see news from across the political spectrum.   Be sure that you base decisions on credible news sources. Trending topics on Twitter or Facebook do not count as credible sources!  If you come across something that sounds questionable, check it out.  There are lots of fact-checking sites out there during an election year.

I have done my homework and made my decision.  Have you?

Last Time magazine cover before the election