The words “full measure of devotion” don’t always appear to translate well across generations.  Let me share a recent experience and offer you an explanation.  A good friend teaches in the broadcasting department of a small Roman Catholic college.  He spends a great deal of time sharing videos with his students.  Especially work originating with other talented young people. 

 Recently his classes were treated to a short film about skateboarding.  I happened to see this same short production and was impressed by the editing.  The content is another matter.  The young man behind the camera “gets it” in the movie vernacular.  What he doesn’t get is respect for the dead.  In one scene there are pictures of friends doing skateboarding stunts at a war memorial at a state capitol.  Until a state policeman arrives and breaks up the party.  The trooper didn’t see the camera and it continued rolling as the man behind the badge walked these young adults over to the memorial wall.  There the trooper tries to keep his calm as he explains the memorial is hallowed ground.  Maybe he didn’t do his best in explaining why this wasn’t a place for wheeled stunts.  The audio is very clear as he says, “Maybe someday you’ll get drafted and killed at war and there’ll be a memorial for you.” 

The reaction from others watching the video with me was that this policeman wasn’t very nice and needs an etiquette lesson.  My personal feelings are different.  In my view he was trying to convey the meaning of sacrifice to a generation where only a few still “get it”.  The few are in uniform halfway around the world.  The rest are here doing skateboard wheelies on the memories of the dead.  I’m surprised the trooper managed to keep his cool.  I think many of us would agree the young “sports” needed a good swift kick.  And I’ll note they were aware in advance they were going to be skating on hallowed ground but the opportunity to show off on difficult terrain was just too tempting.  Keep in mind there is no room for showing off on difficult terrain for their peers in the Afghan mountains. 

 As the anniversary of 9/11 approaches it’s time to assess what we learned, if we learned anything. 

The young man behind the video is, today, entering a police academy.  He’s 22 years old and proud of his two year old video.  It isn’t war but policing also isn’t a picnic or a skate in the park.  Here’s hoping it’s a sobering experience.  If it isn’t there can’t be much confidence in our collective future.

I’ll have some more thoughts soon but am currently swamped trying to find some decently priced rental property.  Otherwise I’ll be living on the beach.  Not a problem right now but by Thanksgiving…

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