FENG: A Worthy Cause

Over the past few months, I’ve focused on the concept of the citizen. Each is an individual, and placed in a collective group, he or she can act as part of whole. The protean nature of the citizen defines the progress of a nation. Here in the United States, the citizen exists to his or her fullest as this dualistic entity.

Everyone must have seen the recent Tea Party rallies, the Old Town House meetings with irate individuals or the personal news interviews of individuals and their opinions of President Barack Obama. They say what they want to say, regardless of who is in office or what the majority of the citizenry believe. Some might call their passionate rants foolhardy and naïve.

But this is what I see as fit to be protected. The vigor of the individual to stand out among a group and proclaim his or her voice as definite motivates me. No other country allows such liberties. They restrict extreme exercises of free speech to prevent civil unrest. In our nation, the exercise of free speech and other unalienable rights is what drives progress. This is why I’m proud to be an American. This is why I want to serve this nation.

Politicians of all backgrounds exclaim their will to serve the citizens of this nation. Sometimes, I wonder if what they say is truly what they believe, or if they are doing it just as a means to an end. The former Sen. John Edwards posed in countless photos with his wife and kids and described himself as a man with family values. Where are those values now? A few Republicans are considering going to war with Iran should nuclear arms negotiations go down the drain, yet they are pro-life when it comes to the debate regarding abortion.

There is a dearth of true courage to stand for one’s beliefs &- true stoicism to public criticism &- in American politics these days. It is good to see our president isn’t at all like the phony senators. One simply has to catch a glimpse of his recent health care legislation. Regardless of whatever adversity is thrown at Obama, he bites the bullet and sticks to his beliefs.

And like Obama, current servicemen and servicewomen see their duties not as a means but as an end. One only needs to look at the ROTC branches on campus. Having participated in and trained with Army ROTC, I witnessed an aspect of character rarely seen in the civilian world &- true dedication and motivation toward service. All Army cadets wish to branch into different units &- some Armor Corps, some Infantry Corp and some Medical Corps, like myself. And irrespective of the means through which we obtain our branches, we all see something in this nation worth protecting. They and I see the values that this nation grants to the individual &- values that would be deemed blessings in other nations &- and we find it necessary to protect them. It is unfortunate how many people take such values for granted.

Further, some pass through a cloud of ignorance, passive ingratitude or even worse, an active ingratitude &- they reject service. Even close friends admonish me for choosing such a route as a career. “You know, you’re going to get killed,” one might say, or they point to my ROTC-issued duffle bag and tell me I’ll either be filling it with those I try to save or with myself.

The ROTC cadets and I are joining the armed services because we see such a path as necessary. We value the rights granted to the citizenry of this nation. We are seeking something pure, a service that may be committed without the recognition of the majority. However, I can safely say that our armed forces do not appreciate active ingratitude, especially with such pessimistic air attached.

Some ultra-liberals assert that the military should be done away with and funding should be concentrated toward other sectors of the population, like education or public works. They advocate peaceful negotiations, as partnerships are made stronger by such means. Such an idea is idealistically admirable, but grossly baseless. The world is not a utopia. There are those who are willing to take advantage of defenseless and peaceful nations, regardless of whatever “international laws” are in place.

Some ultra-conservatives say that war is the only way to ensure the well-being of this nation. Such an opinion is wrong. Partnership is more valuable and constructive in most situations.

Without our armed services, the citizen body will not survive. This nation’s citizenry and the values that it holds are too precious and unique to be subject to the slightest risks.
My little sister has often voiced her opinions on what she wants to do in life. Her ambitions undulate back and forth, between becoming a lawyer to getting a doctorate in parasitology. My repeated suggestion to her is to seek her ambition so that it becomes an end, not a means. A second quality should be that it serves the citizens of this nation, and even better, of all nations.

Even knowing that some may be ignorant toward it, others violently against it, you should still carry on with your duty with purity.