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the Mokena Messenger | November 15, 2018 | 13
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From the Editor
On veterans and being thankful
1. Election 2018: State Rep. Margo
McDermed wins second term
2. Hall-of-fame dog takes family on
memorable journey
3. Election 2018: Tim Brophy defeats
incumbent Steve Weber for Treasurer’s
position
4. Police: Baby sitter busted for DUI, has
BAC of .171
5. Mokena D159 Board of Education:
Referendum on tax rate could see April
ballot
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“Thank you to all of our veterans, active
and inactive. Your service, along with your
families support show the most respectful
act of love for our country. We come from a
long line of military families, and I couldn’t
be more proud. Thank a Vet any chance
you get.”
Erica Bishop-Hottinger posted this to
What’s Happening Around New Lenox,
Mokena, Frankfort Area? Facebook page,
Sunday, Nov. 11.
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“Congratulations to the October Student of
the Month- Jake Draper.”
@LWCentralKnight posted this to its
Twitter account Nov. 6.
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TJ Kremer iii
tj@mokenamessenger.com
These next couple of
print cycles for The
Messenger are a bit
odd, in that we’re publishing
this week after Veterans
Day and next week right
before Thanksgiving. So,
with that in mind, I thought
it would be appropriate to
combine the two for this
editorial.
Firstly, I’d like to extend
a heartfelt, “thank you,”
on behalf of The Messenger
and myself to all
of our veterans out there.
It’s a simple gesture that
doesn’t seem like it’s
nearly enough, considering
the sacrifices our veterans
make, but it’s a sincere
one.
It’s sometimes difficult
to think of our nation’s
history in terms of wars
fought far and wide across
the planet over the course
of our nearly 250 years
of existence as a country.
Certainly there are arguments
that we’ve been
involved in both just and
unjust wars, but those are
political discussions and
have no real bearing on the
men and women who willingly
give themselves to
an institution that’s bigger
than any political stance or
party.
Our political squabbles
and daily struggles sometimes
can seem petty
compared to the hardships
our men and women in uniform
have endured. Where
we debate — sometimes
fiercely — what our role
in the world should be, we
must remember that there
are those who serve who
will be forced to carry out
our rhetoric.
More often than not, I
believe, our armed forces
are able to put aside political,
religious, ethnic,
racial, sexual and all manner
of other differences
in order to serve as one
cohesive group with one
overarching goal: protect
our country.
For those of us who
have never served, myself
included, it can be inspirational
— and even a bit
daunting — to listen to
tales from soldiers when
they return home. It can
also be deeply saddening to
hear the tales of those who
never made it home, who
gave the ultimate sacrifice
in order to put our words
into deeds.
It’s those sacrifices that
I’m thinking of when I’m
counting my blessings this
year.
I’m thankful that there
are people who have that
altruistic bone in their bodies
who do for others what
they cannot or will not do
for themselves.
I’m thankful, and proud,
that one of those people
happened to be my own
grandfather, Tom Sr. — or
Bumpa, as we called him
— who served in our Navy
in the South Pacific during
WWII.
I’m thankful to be in a
town where the value of
the lives of those who’ve
served this nation are
remembered and honored
“Firstly, I’d like to extend a
heartfelt, “thank you,” on behalf
of The Messenger and myself to
all of our veterans out there. It’s a
simple gesture that doesn’t seem
like it’s nearly enough, considering
the sacrifices our veterans make,
but it’s a sincere one.”
in everyday life, not only
through monuments and
special places of reflection,
but also through the whole
essence of what Mokena
is and whom it is here to
serve.
I’m thankful that we
have the freedoms that we
do because people have
believed in those principles
so much that nearly
everything else on Earth
is secondary to protecting
those gifts of freedom.
And I know I’m going to
get ahead of the calendar
a bit here, but I’d also like
to list some things that I’m
still hopeful for.
I wish for a world of
peace, where we no longer
send men and women into
perilous places.
I wish that our nation’s
children will never have to
know the realities of war,
except through textbooks
or old soldier’s stories
passed down through the
generations.
I wish for a day when
conflict can be resolved
through diplomacy, when
we, as a collective people,
can become more tolerant
and accepting of each
other, without fear of
“others” whom we may
deem as dangerous because
of conflicting political or
social concepts.
I know these wishes
may never come true, but I
continue to hold out hope. I
believe this is the best way
we can honor those who’ve
fought and died for our
beliefs.
Sound Off Policy
Editorials and columns are the
opinions of the author. Pieces
from 22nd Century Media are
the thoughts of the company as
a whole. The Mokena Messenger
encourages readers to write letters
to Sound Off. All letters must be
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writers include their address and
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letters. Letters become property
of The Mokena Messenger. Letters
that are published do not reflect
the thoughts and views of The
Mokena Messenger. Letters can be
mailed to: The Mokena Messenger,
11516 West 183rd Street, Unit
SW Office Condo #3, Orland
Park, Illinois, 60467. Fax letters to
(708) 326-9179 or e-mail to tj@
mokenamessenger.com.
www.mokenamessenger.com.