Wrong question. Wrong questions get wrong answers. — Master Gregory, Seventh Son (2014) As veteran, what do you think of the Collin Kaepernick controversy? That was the question As a veteran, what do you think … Readers often ask me about current events. Why? Why me? Well, because that’s what I do nowadays. That’s…

via Respect: Colin Kaepernick – The Extended Cut — Stonekettle Station

There is sooooo much more that you have to read. You really should read it.

In case you doubt me, here’s an important part:

We swear our oath, our lives, to the Constitution.

Not the flag.

Not the anthem.

Not to the president.

Not to congress.

Not to the citizens.

Not to a political party or ideology.

Not to a race.

Not to a religion.

We swear our oath to the Constitution.

But what does that mean? That we swear to give our lives for some raggedy old piece of paper? Is it the sacred paper itself that commands our allegiance? Some old piece of parchment, yellowed, handwritten in an archaic language, falling apart, stored away in a nitrogen-filled box somewhere in the National Archives. Is that it?

No?

What then?

Ah, I see. It’s not the paper — whether it be that hoary old original document or one of those mass produced little booklets supposed patriots and politicians like to toss around. The paper doesn’t matter, it’s the ideas written on it.

We swear our oath to an idea.

This idea: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

We swear we will bear true faith and allegiance, and give our lives if necessary, for that idea.

That idea was the foundation of the United States of America.