You guys might not know this about me, but I love our country. And I find it fascinating that somewhere along the way, patriotism became a bad word. We’re coming up on Veterans Day, so let me say it plainly: I don’t think there is any greater calling in this nation than raising your right hand and saying, “I am willing to give everything I have, including my own life, to protect, preserve, and defend the Constitution of the United States and the citizens who live in it.” To serve under this flag was one of the great honors of my life.
So let me ask the question nobody wants to answer: why is it bad to love your country? I’m an Ohio State fan. Some of you hate Ohio State fans because of how fervent we are. I’ve got buddies who are Eagles fans, Bears fans, let’s not even talk about Cowboys fans. And I’m a Bengals fan, so I know suffering. So many of you rep your team’s colors, talk about them incessantly, and nobody calls you a fascist for it. What’s the difference between believing in your country and being part of a winning team? Here’s the reality: we’re social creatures. We’re part of families, tribes, communities. Nobody does it alone. And in 250 years, the United States of America has built something amazing. I’ve never said this country was perfect. There is no perfect nation. No perfect tribe. No perfect man. And yes, I question our political leaders too, on both sides of the aisle. They drive me insane. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that America is a great place, and there’s a reason people have come from all over the world to be part of it.
As veterans, we literally served under this flag. We wore it on our uniforms. We traveled the world with it. And when a teammate of mine died, they were draped in it coming home. Some people will say, “What a waste, for a country that didn’t care about them.” I can’t speak to that. What I can tell you is that many of us fought against a very real evil, against people who disagreed with our way of life. And our way of life is pretty amazing. This flag represents freedom and opportunity. I don’t care what your demographic is… Black or white, gay or straight, man or woman, Christian or Muslim. If you live in this country, you have freedom and opportunity. That’s a very real thing, and for 250 years, America has been focused on it.
So here’s my challenge this Veterans Day. Veterans: keep setting the example. Be proud of your service and be proud of the country you served. Citizens: recognize that this didn’t happen by chance. We didn’t stumble into the United States of America. Millions of Americans have sacrificed for it, from the Revolution, through World War I, World War II, and every conflict since. We are united by our citizenry. We are united by this flag. And we need political leaders who bring us back together instead of tearing us apart. I love this country. I’m going to continue to represent it and fight for it. I hope you will, too. This is Monday Muster. I’m out.
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