A Powerful Image

By Mark W. Danielson

This isn’t my photo. I borrowed it from a Facebook friend. I’m posting it here because of the powerful images it provokes. Better than the best prose, this picture speaks volumes because it captures our hearts. Why is that? Is it because of the eagle, the cemetery, or both? Let’s start with the eagle.

More than a symbol of the United States, the American Bald Eagle is perhaps the most majestic bird in existence. A master of air and fierce hunter, one cannot help being in awe. We normally see this bird soaring or attacking with its talons out. Perhaps this is why it is so heartbreaking to see it perched atop a tombstone in a veterans’ cemetery.

Even without the eagle, this cemetery photo is chilling as we imagine the young faces of those buried in the endless rows. Futures denied and future generations lost because of war. In the background, the mist and low sun forge a solitary setting. Add the perched eagle and eyes start to well.

What makes this photo especially interesting is how the eagle hides the veteran’s religious affiliation. Without realizing it, this bird demonstrated that people of all denominations die in the name of the sword, but in the end, dead is dead – at least in our dimension. No political rhetoric or medal can change that for these veterans, but even death cannot strip them of the honor. This is what these cemeteries are for -- to pay homage and honor their memories.

If I was teaching a writing class, I would ask my students to write a short story about this photo. No doubt some would share tales of their loved ones while others might debate politics. Certainly whatever stories they share would be extremely personal and touching. I would than ask them to write a brief description of this this photo. Some may pronounce it the bite of approaching winter while others may pray for eternal peace for those who died for their country. But since I am not a professor of creative writing, I am opening this up to our blog readers. What, exactly, do you see in this photo, and can you describe it in a sentence or two? The challenge is yours.

America The Confused, The Divided

By Mark W. Danielson

Benjamin Franklin published this well-known Join, or Die political cartoon in the Pennsylvania Gazette in 1754. It is the earliest known pictorial representation of colonial unionizing by a British colonist in America. On July 4, 1776, representatives from thirteen now-united colonies signed their Declaration of Independence telling England to fight us if you dare. The colonists won the ensuing Revolutionary War with help from the French and built a nation based on the concept of liberty—where those who work hard are rewarded for their effort. People from around the world came to this new country to fulfill their dreams. Through their dedication, determination, and ingenuity, they created an economy grand enough to make the United States of America the most powerful nation on Earth. This didn’t happen without injustices, though. Native and slave populations apparently were exceptions to our Declaration’s Preamble, which states that “. . . all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” In spite of this, our nation grew because its citizens pledged allegiance to their flag; a flag now bearing fifty stars honoring its states, the last being added on July 4th, 1960, following Hawaii’s statehood.

But much has changed since 1960. Our nation went through hell in Vietnam, and welfare reform paved the way for generational government handouts where many able-bodied welfare recipients have never worked for their stipend. Today, we are stuck in another endless war, and our government is giving out so many hand-outs that it is cutting critical education programs. Our infrastructure is in dire need of repair, but rather than fund our projects, we send money to foreign countries to repair their infrastructure. Those with health insurance pay extra to cover those who contribute nothing. Had our Forefathers maintained this attitude, our nation would never have been built.

September 11, 2001 was a shot in the arm for nationalism when, for the second time, The United States was attacked without provocation. For a brief period, we stood united again as people of all races and walks of life shared their outrage against those who hijacked four airliners to destroy the World Trade Center, a portion of the Pentagon, and our way of life. But our memories are short, our dedication slim. Soon, US flags were replaced with banners from others’ “home” countries. Ironically, many of these people flying foreign banners gladly accept the benefits and protection of our country without bothering to even learn its language. They have no problem standing in line in the Social Security Office demanding money they have not earned on the basis of entitlement. And though our nation is severely in debt, politicians won’t touch these subjects because it is politically incorrect.

If our country is to survive, all citizens must unite and stand together as Americans. It will require sacrifices for the common good. It will require all able-bodied people who are receiving government compensation be required to work for their stipend. It will require a paradigm shift from entitlement to President Kennedy’s work ethic of “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” We are still the People of the United States, and in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common Defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, we must all work together. Let’s give reason to celebrate this Independence Day by changing our focus from me to us, and become the nation our Forefathers intended.