A SPECIAL CALLING

“This election year has generated a lot of talk about the role of America’s military in the Middle East. Less frequently does the conversation turn to what’s really at the heart of the matter whether we, as Americans, are committed to a world blessed with freedom for all humankind... Our warriors understand that America has a special calling to promote freedom and democracy. In the words of one Marine, ‘the United States is a beacon of light, whether we want to admit it or not.’... Our Declaration of Independence cites freedom as an unalienable right, not just for Americans but for all human beings. Our way of life, our very right to exist, is the ‘everything’ for which our service men and women are willing to give so much of themselves. They fight to defend America’s freedoms, and they fight to grant the gift of freedom worldwide.”

--Rebecca Hagelin