Let's remember the price many paid for our freedom

Let's remember the pricemany paid for our freedom
EDITOR:
As we are celebrating this Memorial Day, let's not forget what this day stands for: Our history, heartaches and the freedom that our fighting service men and women preserve for us. From the Revolutionary War, which was the birth of our freedom, to the Civil War, which preserved our freedom, along with World War I, and World War II which helped to affirm our freedom, adding Vietnam, Desert Storm and hundreds of other battles were fought to preserve our freedom.
All these wars have one large thing in common, and that is responsible freedom. It was responsible freedom that has given us the freedom we enjoy today. It appears that we are replacing responsible freedom with self-gratification or chaotic freedom.
If we can not salute the flag of our country as it goes by, how can we say that we respect one another? Why is it so hard for many of us to salute the American flag? Is it that we are so caught up in ourselves that we forget how we acquired our freedom? For too many of us, this is a day off work, not one of remembering our service men and women who sacrificed their lives for us. What does sacrifice mean to us?
If we can not respect what our country's flag stands for and we permit our legislators and the liberals to take away our rights and privileges, to dictate to us, on how to raise our children, how to be safe -- how can we respect ourselves? What has happened to common sense and wisdom? Does Big Brother or Big Government have control of our common sense as well? Freedom is not free; we all have to work for it.
FRANK VESPASIAN
Leetonia
Articles by and about Cikaoffered insider's look at Iraq
EDITOR:
I want to express my thanks for the series of articles by Capt. Patricia Cika describing her military experiences as a member of the armed forces in Iraq. I looked forward to Thursday, the day her articulate reports appeared in the paper. Articles paralleled her many experiences in Iraq, affording Mahoning Valley readers an insider's look at military operations and Iraqis.
One memorable report detailed Cika's responsibilities as a lawyer to keep army personnel updated and in conformity with international laws concerning conflict. She explained the importance of maintaining high standards irrespective of enemy behavior.
As the recent prison scandal unfolded, I was glad to have the background Cika provided concerning the military's regard for high standards of conduct. Recently, I was pleased to learn of Cika's safe return to the United States via a Vindicator story of her visit with sixth-graders at W.S. Guy Middle School in Liberty. It was great to have this contact at a personal level with our troops in Iraq, thanks to an editorial arrangement between an outstanding Mahoning Valley soldier, Captain Cika, and The Vindicator. Thank you for making her experiences available to us.
JOSEPHINE LAWRENCE
Warren
Tribute to 'guardian angels'
EDITOR:
I would like to tell some good news for a change. We had a gentleman from MVP Home Improvement. Pat Lucente, come to show us some sliding glass doors last Tuesday. While he was here, he told us that he smelled gas in our house and that we should call the gas company, which we did.
A young man from Dominion East Ohio, William Smith, came almost immediately. He was very professional and found the leak almost immediately.
I wouldn't want to think what could have happened if these two men we see as guardian angels had not cared enough to respond as they did. As the Word says, be careful, yo may be entertaining angels unaware!
VIRGINIA PETEFISH
Girard