Many (probably most) of my posts these days are critical of the government of the United States and its renewed imperialism.

However, this is a day to remember, rightly, the sacrifices made by members of our defense teams in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Merchant Marines, as well as the National Guardsmen and Reserve Forces.

These people unselfishly have and continue to offer up themselves to defend the Constitution of the United States. They follow in the proud traditions of those who initiated this government of the people, by the people, and for the people so long ago to create a new Guard for the future security of our inalienable rights as human beings.

These brave people have never been held (by me, at least) to be responsible for any abuses of our government. (If anyone is responsible for that, it is all of us, since we, the people, are the government.) I have always believed that it is entirely possible to be critical—in fact it is paradoxically our duty both to support and at times to be critical of our government in order to form a more perfect union—of United States government policies without being critical of the men and women of our collective Armed Forces.

With respect to all these men and women who do selflessly protect the rights and freedoms that allow all of us to realize our inalienable rights, I give my wholehearted and sincere salute.

And while today is officially recognized as Memorial Day, I say that we should—we must—remember and be thankful for these people every day of our lives.