Thank you, my friends.
I was reflecting on D-Day recently. I don't really know the origin of the question, but my son asked something about the general popularity of America among other world citizens. I gave him an answer that wasn't good enough, and that he can probably never hope to fully understand. I am deeply saddened that relatively recent events have diminished Americans unfathomable accomplishments on behalf of freedom. As his grandfather's generation passes away, we lose not only the heroes that made the world what it is today, but also the people who have the context of those events - the individuals who were actually saved. We MUST continue to tell these stories.
And - for whatever, unrelated reason - Patton has been ringing in my head lately: "No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."
Even if some prominent leaders bristle publicly at the concept, I still believe in American exceptionalism.
