On Serving my country

Some time ago a dear friend of mine whom I respect very much challanged my deeply held love of America during a conversation about military service, during which I had mentioned that I would be planning on serving in the Marines with a Officers Commision after college. The trouble stemmed from a fairly simple statement but one I have been rolling around in my head for some time no. He was unsure about military service and he stated "Well, we dont choose where we're born so why should we love our country simply because we were born there". This has bothered me ever since.

On it's face, I reasoned, that is a perfectly valid arguement, which of course opened the floodgates to many new thoughts. Why the hell should I fight and die for a country simply because I was born in it; If I had been born in Russia should I fight and die for that country? Why if you love your country because you we're born in it, than you would love wherever you were born, by linkage than no country is no better than any other. This and others reasons, such as many of the people I know holding absolutely no love for America on the left or even on the right where many Christians hold America to an impossible standard and then condemn Her for not reaching it, even though, many of those same Christians could not reach it either. In short, no one would be grateful either.

So, I reasoned, why would I die for my country at all, or even care whether She lives or dies? As I rolled this over in my mind I finally came to a solid realisation. If I were to turn my back on my country then I would be turning my back on all those who died for my freedom. A country, especially America, is not simply a place where one is born but the accumulated efforts of previous generations who have struggled, labored, and sometimes died for their decendants to have a greater life then theirs. To not love and serve my country would mean that all who have died to preserve American freedom, my freedom, have died in vain. I will not let that happen, even though my country may not always conform to what I would want it to be, even though my fellow citizens may not appreciate nor love their country for the freedoms it has fought for; it is still my duty to fight to sustain them. In essence, I would say, America is my inheritence and I intend to fight to keep it for my children and my children's children. I was lucky to born an American, and to be born an American is to win the lottery of life and I intend to keep it that way for my countrymen whether they appreciate it or not.

So I have come to the conclusion that I love my country right or wrong. When right to be kept right and wrong to be put right. America not being what you would like it to be is no reason to stop loving it which many people really do need to remember. Your country not just some place you were born, it's something you inherit, and as with all inheritance it is the duty of an honorable person to keep that inheritance, and help it prosper and grow.

So I have decided to serve my country as an Officer in the United States Marine Corps, and though I am very nervous even though it is about 5 years away, I know it is something worth doing and my country worth fighting for.