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They fight for the freedom of a country that isn’t free
Forged in hypocrisy
Aim the bullet at the eagle for sport
And still somehow believe this is a democracy
Pledge allegiance to the flag for which it stands
A life of liberty, an indivisible nation under God
And justice? For all?
We are the ones who took the fall and recall the sacrifice daily
How do I look my own child in their eyes
When another man’s daughter fell to the ground at my feet, bloodied and marred
From the explosives created for me
As I tell her to step back, wondering inconclusively, is she strapped with explosives
But I can’t pull the trigger
How do I look my wife, my daughter, my mother in their eyes when
I couldn’t prevent the Viet Cong from knocking the teeth out of one woman’s mouth,
And pouring gasoline down her throat
And raping a 12-year-old girl with mental health issues
And because I lose a limb I’m called a hero and granted a purple heart
When I’ve lost all heart, quite literally falling apart
How do you comb through those memories
And not let them fester into nightmares and PTSD triggers at every sound that explodes
Like a gun shot, IED, or bomb going off, distrustful of all human life
How do I deal with all this strife
But the craziest thing is, through loss of limb and lack of emotional capacity to thrive,
I would do it all again, if it meant my children, family, legacy
Would still have essential freedoms, the American way of life
Freedom to choose one’s religion, freedom of speech, freedom to bear arms for protection
Of life, family and property, for I value this way of existence
I’ve seen and experienced far too much to resist it, for as we all know
Freedom ain’t free, so I’d proudly bare the cross as Jesus did for me
There is no separation of God and Country if we want to flourish as a United Nation
I’m here for the duration, as I’ve sacrificed my life for America
And will forever be a Patriot, a Veteran, and a Savior…
