Dear Editor:
Over the years, thousands of men and women died so we can live in the United States of America. At 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., a familiar tune rings through our campus. Some people stop and place their hands over their hearts, while others seem to not hear it and hurry along. It takes only two minutes or less to show gratitude for those ancestors that heroically gave their lives in battle for our freedom.
President Gordon B. Hinckley came to campus not too long ago, and in his short but powerful presentation, he said, “We are the beneficiaries of the wells we have not dug and the medicine we did not discover.” We are the living legacy of those that did. We don’t have to construct large memorials to remember them, all we have to do is to show respect to an anthem that reminds us of our place. It is a symbol of the things they have done for us.
You say you are not a citizen of this country? If we did not live in this free country, you might not be here. Our national anthem is not yours, but without it and what it stands for, you wouldn’t be here. Those that have died did so not just for Americans, but all those that come to this country. What are we doing to show gratitude? Respect does not cost you money. It will not rob you of your freedoms, but hopefully it will help you to remember them.
If you are on campus or anywhere within the reach of this glorious anthem, please stop and show your appreciation. Two minutes, that’s all it takes. Remember the people who gave their lives for you, just as our brother Jesus Christ gave his, for all of us.
Bonnie Bair
Vancouver, Wash.
