Huh?  You look at your calendar, “Hmmm, it’s not Veterans Day, not the 4th of July, not D-Day, not Pearl Harbor, no, not September 11th, hmmmmm.”  Look a little closer…ahead.  Yes, Tuesday is Election Day (insert collective groan here).  Let me guess, if you are not adamant about either one of our two candidates (even if you are I suppose) you have said or believed one or more of these statements:

1.  They are all corrupt.

2.  They are one and the same, Republicrats and Democans.

3.  I just don’t care.

4.  Where I live my vote just doesn’t matter.

5.  The system is so corrupt it’s all rigged.

6.  Nothing will change.

7.  God is sovereign and thus voting doesn’t matter.

8.  I’m not part of a voting block (unions, minorities, pro-life/pro-choice lobby groups, ultra rich, dependency class, AARP) and thus my vote is irrelevant.

9.  I’m making a statement by NOT voting.

10.  I’m not voting until we have a legitimate 3rd party.

11.  Ron Paul is my guy but the media shuts him out every time.

12.  I have too much to do.

13.  I don’t want to wait in lines.

14.  I don’t want to be harassed at the polling place.

15.  Everything is run by the corrupt media big business conglomerate.

16.  Nobody tells the truth and nothing will change.

17.  One guy will destroy the country quickly, the other slowly, who cares which wins.

18.  Politics just isn’t my thing.

19.  I’m just not informed enough.

20.  I’m so tired of all of these negative campaign ads I will not participate and justify any of them.

21.  If they spent all of the money that they spent on the campaigns on people  instead we’d be much better off.

22.  It’s all a game and we all lose.

23.  No candidate represents me.

24.  I don’t even remember where I’m supposed to vote.

25.  Of course I’m for the troops but not for the stupid elections.

It’s number 25 that I want to focus on for just a minute.  Further, I’m not speaking of our current  troops who keep America free.  Yes, we should support them.  I’m not talking about our troops who have given their lives so that this country, though flawed, can be as great as it is and as free as it is.  We owe them much as well.  No, I’m talking about a whole different kind of soldier.

I am referring to a barefoot soldier.  One whose feet were wrapped in linens and cloths even though there was snow on the ground surrounding the Delaware River.  I’m talking about the ones who weren’t even officially recognized and were originally slated to be crushed by their mother country.  I’m talking about the men who left their homes, the women who became widows and raised families in horrifically harsh times.  I’m talking about the soldiers of the Revolutionary War.

These soldiers fought SO THAT WE COULD HAVE A COUNTRY IN THE FIRST PLACE.  These were people…not just historical figures to be remembered on a history test.  Had  you been born 250 years ago it would have been your father, brother, neighbor…YOU!  They fought so that we could have this great country and have the right to vote.  To not vote now is nothing more than an indifferent slap in the face to the sacrifices they made.

Praise God that we have had a rightful surge in the pride that comes with supporting our troops over the recent years.  We have come a long way since the disgraceful way our Vietnam War Vets were treated.  Even so, much more needs to be done.  It’s very easy to post cool forwards on our facebook page and tweet out shout outs to the troops on the days listed above.  Dare I say it has even become trendy.  Well, trend this, support those men who fought for us to have this great country in the 1st place.  Support the women who raised families alone during those relatively primitive times.  Support the troops by voting next Tuesday.