Mike Moser "I Say" Published Apri 4, 2003

Popular or not, war should unite us

I don't remember the first time I heard Lee Greenwood's modern day American anthem, but I have never forgotten how it stirred my soul. You see, right or wrong, "I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free."

I really don't care for much of the fodder they are showing on television these days. Programming falls somewhere between ridiculous and mindless. Because I love music, I have been following the "American Idol" show and for those of you who join me, you witnessed the talented young singers last week and this week sing Greenwood's "God Bless the U.S.A."

What a treat.

I have kept up to date with events in Iraq as well. And I also watched an interesting interview of news broadcasting icon Walter Cronkite on CNN's "Larry King Live." A man I have deeply respected and admired, Cronkite had some interesting observations.

He openly opposed going to war with Iraq, same as I did, for many of the same reasons and concerns that I had. Cronkite went so far as to say that not only did those opposing the war have a right to do so, they had a responsibility to openly discuss their opposition and try to influence those in power.

There are many Cumberland Countians who also opposed the war. Many have reasons for their positions and beliefs that differ from mine. They, too, have a responsibility and a right to their free expression. After all, isn't that one of the main reasons for promoting freedom in the world today?

Cronkite went on to say that in his opinion, once the war started, the picture changed, and that focus should be centered on supporting the men and women in uniform who volunteered their service to this country and now are following the orders of their commanders.

Which brings me back to Lee Greenwood and "God Bless the U.S.A."

I think it would behoove all of us to study those words again. "And I won't forget the men who died, who gave the right to me, And I'd gladly stand up, next to you, and defend her still today."

Wednesday night a French poll reported that one-in-three in that country oppose the allied coalition and one-in-four Frenchmen want Iraq to win the war. All across the globe demonstrators are railing against America, not understanding what is at stake.

All one has to do is watch the news reports of the starving and oppressed Iraqis to understand what this is about. It is not about oil fields. We purchase what we want from Venezuela and other countries, and we have enough in this country to get us by.

It is about terrorism. It is about religious persecution, even among sects of Muslims. It is about torture chambers. It is about an oppressed people unable to lift themselves up from under decades of tyranism. It is about millions starving while their government spends money on diabolical weapons of destruction.

One day history will judge the Iraqi campaign in a different light. Today, with so much of the world against us, we need a united front to tell the world we support our men and women in uniform. It was Benjamin Franklin during another war who said, "We should all hang together or we surely will hang separately."

"And I'd gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today. 'Cause there ain't no doubt, I love this land. God Bless the U.S.A."

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Mike Moser is the editor of the Crossville Chronicle. His column is published periodically on Fridays.