Earn This

Last Friday night I stayed up late watching "Saving Private Ryan" on television. With the commercials it was four hours long, and worth every minute.

If you haven't seen the movie, here is the synopsis stolen from IMDB.com. "Opening with the Allied invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944, members of the 2nd Ranger Battalion under Cpt. Miller fight ashore to secure a beachhead. Amidst the fighting, two brothers are killed in action. Earlier in New Guinea, a third brother is KIA. Their mother, Mrs. Ryan, is to receive all three of the grave telegrams on the same day. The United States Army Chief of Staff, George C. Marshall, is given an opportunity to alleviate some of her grief when he learns of a fourth brother, Private James Ryan, and decides to send out 8 men (Cpt. Miller and select members from 2nd Rangers) to find him and bring him back home to his mother"

The movie follows 8 soldiers as they attempt to find Private Ryan (remarkably well played by Matt Damon) and get him safely home.

Near the end of the movie, Captain Miller (played by Tom Hanks) is mortally wounded on a bridge in a small French town, most of the other soldiers who embarked on the journey to save Private Ryan are already dead. He pulls Ryan in close and whispers "Earn this. Earn it". Then he dies.

That phrase, spoken at the climax of the movie has always affected me. There is so much we take for granted in this country. For example, no one is going to kick in my door tonight because they don't like what I wrote in this blog. If I was in China, I wouldn't have that assurance. I am pretty sure when I leave the house every morning, that I will return that evening. Not everyone can say that. And the reason I enjoy all of that freedom is because of people like Cpt Miller and the millions of others who have fought to protect my freedom, the freedom of my family and your freedom.

So this Thurday morning, just one week after the 70th anniversay of D-Day, will find me, and Demarise and Jamie at our local polling station, earning, in a small way, the sacrifice of the brave allied soldiers.

I hope I don't get in trouble for including this comic strip from last remembrance day, but I just love the message. (click the picture to see it larger)

We remember. Nous nous souvenons.