If you haven't yet read the Ben Shapiro article chronicling Indymedia's treatment of the Pat Tillman story and the source's of their funding, I urge you to do so immediately.  (www.SenatorFlipFlop.com)  I've been inundated with reader comments which, to a person, have expressed outrage and disbelief.  Perhaps as outrageous as the story itself is why, once again, we are all left wondering why the so-called 'mainstream' press in this country ignores such things.  If Ted Koppel is truly interested in honoring our fallen heroes he'll dedicate an episode of Nightline to this story. 

What strikes me the most is that these are the very same people who are always screaming for a more compassionate world and tolerance of everything under the sun regardless how offensive it might me to 'main street' morality.  Yet, when given an opportunity to show even the tiniest bit of compassion and tolerance themselves, they ridicule and dishonor the memory of a man who sacrificed his life so that they can continue to amuse themselves with pointless rant after pointless rant.

The question that keeps running through my mind when contemplating this is what does this mean for the future of the United States?  Have we grown so cynical and disaffected with the values the country was founded on that we now laugh at someone who is still a believer?  I hope not.  I pray that there are more Pat Tillman's then there are Indymedia conscripts.    

Nearing the end of his life,  Thomas Jefferson wrote an eloquent appeal to end slavery, asking "Can the liberties of a nation, be preserved when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, and His justice cannot sleep forever."  

What we, as a nation, are facing today is a crisis of comparable magnitude.  Nothing less than the survival of the republic itself is at stake.  Indeed I tremble, Mr. Jefferson, when I see things like what Indymedia printed this week.  We too, Mr. Jefferson, have forgotten the fact that our liberty is a gift from God.  A gift to be cherished and protected yes, but a gift also to be shared.  

This is our burden.  We can choose to ridicule and laugh at the sacrifice of those who appreciate this gift or we can choose to join the fight.  I dare say Pat Tillman understood this.  Do you?