Looking back
THE JAMBAR EDITORIAL BOARD
Issue date: 10/29/09 Section: Opinion
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown will be on campus Friday to help Youngstown State University observe the dedication of the new Armed Forces Boulevard.
For many, the meaning of the ceremonies seems clear on the surface. It will likely take the form of a commemoration of those who have died in the service of defending our nation, with the usual fanfare afforded such occasions.
But for those of us who wish to look deeper, there is motivation in this event.
In an era where the state of our nation and the world is increasingly filled with questions and perpetually short of answers, we ought to remember the spirit of the dream those men and women fought and died to preserve.
We should seek to make the best of the opportunities their sacrifices afford us. Many of them returned home with the hope of a better life and pursued education to achieve it. Some of them took any job they could find to merely feed their families.
As we watch the fanfare in front of Beeghley Center - which we all should attempt to do - we should consider the nobility of the display in the middle of our campus.
Where better to observe the noble deeds of soldiers past and present than on a college campus? How better to honor their service than to learn? Whether we learn history to understand why Americans were called to arms, or we study economics, political science, communications and technology, in the hopes of preserving the best of America and avoiding the mistakes that have cost lives in the past, respecting education is perhaps the best salute we can offer.
For many, the meaning of the ceremonies seems clear on the surface. It will likely take the form of a commemoration of those who have died in the service of defending our nation, with the usual fanfare afforded such occasions.
But for those of us who wish to look deeper, there is motivation in this event.
In an era where the state of our nation and the world is increasingly filled with questions and perpetually short of answers, we ought to remember the spirit of the dream those men and women fought and died to preserve.
We should seek to make the best of the opportunities their sacrifices afford us. Many of them returned home with the hope of a better life and pursued education to achieve it. Some of them took any job they could find to merely feed their families.
As we watch the fanfare in front of Beeghley Center - which we all should attempt to do - we should consider the nobility of the display in the middle of our campus.
Where better to observe the noble deeds of soldiers past and present than on a college campus? How better to honor their service than to learn? Whether we learn history to understand why Americans were called to arms, or we study economics, political science, communications and technology, in the hopes of preserving the best of America and avoiding the mistakes that have cost lives in the past, respecting education is perhaps the best salute we can offer.
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