THE LAST FULL MEASURE

THE LAST FULL MEASURE
By Clyde M. Hughes

Out in the ages came a confrontation. On one side, Freedom's Voice represented the hope of humanity opposed by the powerful Oppression's Sting. What followed was the epic of all wars BB the struggle between oppression and freedom. Oppression boasted to Freedom, "I have ruled this world for millennia and I will always rule. My forces have oppressed and beaten down peoples since Creation. Tyrants are my tools. Evil is my plan. War, famine, pestilence, disease, genocide, prejudice, slavery and persecution are my methods. Misery is my goal. My success is measured in the millions of widows and orphans I make. I will always rule!" But Freedom retorts, "Not so fast, Oppression. There is a seed of desire deep in the heart of every human that will be your end. You can only abuse the weak. My people will rise and defeat you." Oppression laughed and said, "What you speak of requires a great price, a price yours will never pay." "What is your price?" said Freedom. "First," he said, "You will need a body of citizens who will do their duty as good citizens. They will have to express their views in voting. They will be required to pay duties to their governments. They will have to work hard and be loyal. They will raise their children to be citizens of a larger community, to learn, to work, and to live productive lives. That's what it takes to be a good citizen. It'll take millions to make that happen. Can you meet that?" "No problem," said Freedom. "That was just the start. You will need to spend and spend to defend your freedom. You will send your sons and daughters off to war and separation. You will suffer economic hardships. Can you meet that?" Freedom answered, "Sure, we can meet that." "But that's not all," said Oppression. "You will see your soldiers at Valley Forge, shoeless and frostbit in record low temperatures, chewing on shoe leather just to stay alive. You will see the same frozen scene repeated at Bastogne as your men spend weeks outdoors in terrible conditions for the cause of freedom. Thousands will die of hunger, disease, and murder on the Bataan Death March. There will be days when blood runs like spring water on an April day. You will see amputated limbs, piled like cord wood. The groans of thousands dying with no medical care will forever ring in your ears. Multiplied thousands will return wounded and maimed. Can you meet that?" Gasping a bit, Freedom said, "Yes, we can meet that." "But that is not all," was the reply. "You will suffer more than a million dead BB your fathers, sons, brothers, husbands, future leaders, future businessmen, future workers: the best you have to offer." Painfully, Freedom said, "We will still do it." "You will see your men cut off young without ever fulfilling their goals, having that gleam in their eyes as they watch their bride come down the aisle. They will never feel the matchless pride as they hold their newborn for the first time. Hundreds of thousands of wives will never see their loves again. Aging mothers will send their babies off to battle to see their worse fears realized. You will have hundreds of thousands of children who will never see their fathers again. Many will be destined to poverty after losing their fathers. Can you afford that cost?" said Oppression. Sadly, Freedom said, "Yes, we will bear any cost. Freedom is worth it all."
The majestic mosaic of America has been brought to each of us through the courtesy of the many millions who have gone before us. A wise person once said, "Every present success is built upon a past sacrifice." The great founders such as Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Franklin, Adams; the great leaders such as Hale, Henry, Lincoln, the Roosevelts, and more recent leaders; the great entrepreneurs and industrialists, with all their faults; the great artists like Harriet Beecher Stowe who fanned the flames of freedom for the disenfranchised; and equally so the commoner such as the farmer, the seaman, the laborer; and as much as any, the great sacrificial mothers who gained no fame but built the character of the new nation. All those who played whatever their role are owed a terrific debt of gratitude by every person in America today. Somewhat however; they, like each good citizen of today who works, loves his or her family, pays their taxes, votes regularly, and cares for the unfortunate, were doing their duty, often in a heroic fashion. They gained survival, family health and the continuation of the great dream. No one should be discounted for menial work or an honest effort at survival.