KEN'S KORNER - JULY 2005
INDEPENDENCE DAY
By Author, Educator
and Big City Driver Ken Skaggs
As we celebrate our
independence as a Nation, I’d like to reflect on what it means to me
as an individual, a former soldier, an American and a truck driver.
Every Independence Day, without fail, I recall the days I served in
the U.S. Army. I take great pride in the many changes that I went through
– going from boy to man. I remember just how naive I was when I joined
and I laugh at the things that were revolutionary to me at the time,
but things I take for granted now. I smile when I think of my reasons
for joining, because they were fulfilled. I take pride in my occupation
as a driver, where independence truly is the name of the game. And I
realize that we really do have it made here – in the United States of
America and in the trucking business.
I think of our Founding
Fathers and the courage they had to do what they did. Every time I read
the Declaration of Independence, I am blown away by just how smart they
were. Just imagine, in a time when there was no electricity, no cars,
no running water, a time when you’d think people were primitive, these
men had the wherewithal to put their heads together and come up with
this system of government that we all enjoy. Then, on top of that, they
had the guts to fight for it. Then, to top that off, they had the heart
to see it all the way through and the will to win. They built an amazing
foundation for us to build upon and carry on with. They laid out the
guidelines for what was to become the greatest nation on God’s Green
Earth. Thanks to them, we have the freedom to do just about anything
we want to. And just look at what that freedom brought us; all of the
technological advances we came up with and all of the inventions, because
we were now free-thinkers, with no limits placed upon us by any king
or dictator. The least we can do is carry on with that tradition and
continue to fight for it.
I think about the
independence we enjoy in the trucking industry too. I mean, where else
can you make 40, 50, or even 60,000 dollars a year without a college
degree? And how about the security we enjoy? If you don’t like your
job, there are literally hundreds more out there just begging for you.
Now that’s freedom and independence! Yes, I’d say we have it made in
this country and in this industry. We enjoy the freedom and independence
that so many have fought and died for, before us and even now. For that
reason, we shouldn’t take it lightly and we should celebrate the very
fact that we are here to enjoy it.
When I first joined
the Army in 1980, I did it because I needed a kick in the butt. I was
only nineteen, but I had already gotten fat and lazy since graduating
from high school. I needed some serious physical fitness – not only
to get into better shape, but to get my head out of my you-know-what
and to begin thinking about my future. And boy, did it happen. Eight
weeks later, by the time I finished Boot Camp, not only was I in fantastic
shape, but I was also thinking clearly about my future. Though my reasons
for joining were self-serving and not really patriotic, I really got
into it and saw myself become a Patriot.
Within my first two
weeks in the Army, I watched in horror as fifty Americans were taken
hostage in Iran. I was terrified that I would have to go to war. I started
regretting the day I signed up. But, something happened to that young,
lazy, fat, scared boy that I was. Every day we went to an obstacle course
that they appropriately called the “Confidence Course”. For the first
few weeks, I stumbled on every obstacle and wondered what I had gotten
myself into. Then, like a revelation, about seven weeks later, I was
flying through every obstacle like it wasn’t even there. I was very
enlightened to learn that nothing could stop me – nothing! I suddenly
felt invincible. No towering wall, no barbed wire, no climb down a mountain,
no scurry up a rope, no jump from heights over my head, literally nothing
could stop me. And besides, we did so much running that I knew for a
fact that if I couldn’t defeat an enemy, I could surely outrun him and
survive.
Then, one day a few
weeks later, I saw the news again about those hostages in Iran and I
had a completely different view. I was mad as hell. I begged for a chance
to go over there and get our people out. Just give me a chance to wrap
my hands around the throat of one of those terrorists and I would pop
their head off. I looked around at my brothers in arms and they too
were mad as all get-out and begging for the chance. Well, thankfully
that issue got resolved through peaceful means and I never had to go
to war. Today’s service men and women did though. They did have to go
to war. I’m sure they have the same anger and confidence that I had
when I was younger, but they actually got the call to go.
I would like to take
a moment to say something to all of you who think this is an unjust
war. It doesn’t matter what you think, not anymore. Congress already
debated this subject a long time ago and for whatever reasons, whether
you agree with them or not, they decided to go through with it. The
time for debate is long over with. It’s time to pull together as Americans
and win this fight. Our future depends on it. Our service men and women
need and deserve our support. And telling them that this war is not
right is not supporting them at all, unless you really don’t want them
(us) to win. After all, how can you win a fight if your heart is not
in it? And if that’s the case, then whose side are you on? It’s our
fight, all of ours, as Americans, whether we like it or not. It’s us
against them; freedom and democracy versus intolerance and oppression.
Choose a side, or stand back and shut up.
Whether you are serving
in the military or just driving a truck, we all have to stick together
because we are Americans and that’s the side we are on – the side of
freedom and independence and everything else our Founding Fathers fought
for. So on this Independence Day, I would like to encourage all of you
to celebrate our independence and freedom. Nothing this good comes without
a price. You get what you pay for and freedom and independence is no
exception. Thanks for listening and God Bless our troops!
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