Arlington Photos

Lately, a meme has been showing up in my newsfeed, with a picture of Arlington superimposed with "This is why you stand for the National Anthem." 

No.  No, this is why you properly fund the VA.  This is why you make sure that veterans are not left homeless in the streets.  This is why you work your damnedest to elect people who will both fulfill our promises to those left, and who will work their hardest to make sure that we don't have useless wars in the future.  This is why you honor their service, by working to make sure that we have a country that lives up to the promise that they sacrificed for. 

And sometimes, that means that you point out flaws you might see - to ensure a more perfect union.  That freedom that they sacrified for?  It means we have rights, and responsibilities.  You do what you can - you vote, you discuss, you protest.  Peaceful protest to try to better our country?  That's one of the more patriotic things you can do, in my opinion, especially when it's accompanied by good works (for example, donating the first million of your paycheck to help out your community).  And you listen.  When someone else is protesting, trying to tell you that there's a problem here that needs solving, you listen to what they say and process it before shouting them down.