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What this woman does not seem to grasp is that absolutely nobody wants to lose a son/husband/brother/father, etc. in war and no president or military commander wants to send troops into combat. Yet throughout American history, millions of men and women have died in combat because it was necessary to defend our freedom. It is for this reason that these deaths are referred to as the "ultimate sacrifice," it is this altruistic patriotism that has made America the greatest nation the world has ever known.

Many, if not most, Americans have lost a relative on the field of battle over in the 230 years since the first shots were fired at Lexington and Concord. Each of these deaths was a sacred sacrifice to the cause of freedom, and though some may seem unnecessary, none were in vain. When we read back through the history of the world, we see that prior to the American Revolution, most wars were fought so that individual kings and their families could strengthen their personal power and wealth. Even the Crusades to protect Christendom were often prompted by the promise of greater wealth and power for the kings who embarked upon them.

Yet in the late 18th century, a handful of men who were on the whole among the wealthiest, most educated and privileged men in the world (our Founding Fathers generally had a far higher standard of living than all but the most wealthy English and European nobility), made the following Declaration:

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; . . . And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

These brave men, who had the most to lose, who were the least affected by British tyranny, who could have easily pursued their lives of leisure risked everything simply so their fellow citizens might enjoy freedom.

In the centuries since, there is only one war that, while not unjust, was initiated for the benefit of a specific group. What is lost upon most people is the simple fact that the Spanish-American War was started at the behest of the MEDIA, in order for them to sell more newspapers and make more money. It was the forsight of Republican leaders such as William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt who saw beyond the media's greed and brought freedom and justice to the former Spanish colonies.