Paying Our Debts Soapbox / General Interest Date: May 31, 2004 - 03:59 PM I read that the President, in a Memorial Day speech, said that we owe a debt we cannot pay. Yes, we can, but it is a debt we must pay "forward," not "back." We owe a debt to the people who fought and died in the Revolutionary War; and we pay that debt "forward" by defending the freedoms that war was fought to gain for each of us. We owe a debt to the people who fought and died in the War Between the States; and we pay that debt "forward" by our work to keep our country whole and strong. We owe a debt to the people who fought and died in World War I, and II, and we pay that debt "forward" when we oppose tyranny and genocide any- where in the world. We owe a debt to the people who fought and died in Korea and VietNam; and we pay that debt "forward" when we demand accountability from our government. We owe a debt to the people who marched and died during the Civil Rights protests of thirty and forty years ago; and we pay that debt "forward" when we demand equality of rights for everyone regardless of race, gender, religious preference, or age. We owe a debt to the people who are fighting and dying right now, in a war that was based on lies; and we pay that debt "forward" by honoring those people, and demanding accountability from the government that sent them there. We also owe a debt to the people who marched and demonstrated to protect our lands, and clean up the results of generations of pollution; and we can pay that debt "forward" to our children and grandchildren by working to continue the protections of our lands and wildlife, and to continue the clean up work. We never pay "back" debts of these sorts . . . we can only pay them "forward" . . . unto seven generations. Artha of Dragonwood We must never forget...... Wade This article comes from Phoenix Phamily - Supporting the Phoenix festivals community http://www.jaxpagan.com/ The URL for this story is: http://www.jaxpagan.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=368