I was raised in the home of a proud World War II veteran and will forever consider it as one of my most precious blessings.
During one of those life-reflecting conversations toward the end of his life, my 86-year-old dad spoke of his decision to volunteer and serve our nation. He deemed it as one of his life’s most important decisions. It served as a springboard for his appreciation for our country and the men whom served during that era.
At the age of 19, he left college to join his two older brothers and over 100,000 other black American soldiers. They traveled to foreign lands to protect a homeland that had not yet granted them full rights and privileges of citizenship. In his home state of Texas, the Jim Crow practices of segregation were still prevalent and enforced with terror, by the Ku Klux Klan. His generation’s faith to fight and die for their country was ensconced in the promises of our Constitution. They were a generation who believed it was a document inspired by an omnipotent God though, at the time, implemented by flawed and imperfect men.
It was in the home of a WWII veteran where I was taught it was an honor to be chosen, as a high school ninth grader, to raise and lower our American flag. I understood that if it ever touched the ground it would be desecrated and I was determined never to allow that to happen under my watch.
Over a decade later, I would stand on the sideline as an NFL player with the same hand over heart reverence, listening to our national anthem and getting teary-eyed while reflecting on the blessing of that chosen moment — of being an American.
It was in the home of a WWII veteran where I was taught to respect God, our country and womanhood. I witnessed a community of veterans who showed their appreciation for our country by succeeding — embracing opportunities to become entrepreneurs, educators, community leaders, mentors and fathers. Their examples reflected the promises of our American Way.
As Americans, we remain the envy of the world, representing the City upon a Hill. Only in America is there an opportunity to live such a heighten level of freedom, optimism, our faith and unlimited dream power.
It is indeed appropriate that we take this day to thank and commemorate our great former warriors who made this possible for the rest of us.
Veterans, from the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.
Burgess Owens is an author, former NFL player and Republican candidate for Utah’s 4th Congressional District.