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Every year the VFW hosts an essay contest, written with cash prizes for intermediate schools students and spoken with scholarship prizes for high school students. The theme of the essays this year annoyed me, "What makes America great." It's not a bad theme for an exercise designed to promote patriotism, but unfortunately, it is a political theme, a rallying cry for Republicans. The VFW isn't supposed to indulge in politics. My 12-year old granddaughter caught wind of my temper and asked what was bothering me. When I mentioned the theme, she responded, "We do." In those two words she won the prize for me. That was exactly it. We do. We the People make America great. The economy is the aggregate of our economic activity. The defense is born by citizens taking up arms. Generally, the government does little more than get in the way. Politicians get in the way. We are greatest when they get out of our way. Still, I was curious to see how our fearless VFW leaders would rank the winners. Well, here they are. Take a gander and see if any of these get your vote...
VFW - Veterans of Foreign Wars USA
Posted from heroes.vfw.orgPosted in these groups: 
Patriotism
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
Patriotism Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 4
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The Legion sponsors a similar contest; I'm fortunate enough to serve as District Chairman for ours. One thing I've noticed (with great disappointment) is the exponential drop-off in participation among our local public school students. This year's contest was between only two, home school students. In conferencing with local school officials (who interestingly strongly support the contest, and actively promote it on our behalf)...it seems many students simply don't see the value in these programs. With Tennessee Promise, they get two years of state community college...and don't seem to understand the financial, let alone esoteric importance of participation.
Of even greater concern to me is what this means, if truly a trend, for our future. Have we really devolved as a society such that we take for granted our fragile liberties...and prefer instead to have a subsidized mediocrity? Sadly, I believe this to be true. In my darker moments, I imagine that the false-narrative of hopelessness and victimization has primed our society to scamper for crumbs from the table...as opposed to taking our rightful seat at the same.
Of even greater concern to me is what this means, if truly a trend, for our future. Have we really devolved as a society such that we take for granted our fragile liberties...and prefer instead to have a subsidized mediocrity? Sadly, I believe this to be true. In my darker moments, I imagine that the false-narrative of hopelessness and victimization has primed our society to scamper for crumbs from the table...as opposed to taking our rightful seat at the same.
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COL John McClellan
Our numbers up and down. I think it depends greatly on the energy of the POC and their relationships with the school contacts. This year, our VFW had enough entries in one category to actually forward several essays to other Posts in our District to sponsor!
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CPT Jack Durish
It's a complex issue, the result of many influences. Appreciation for liberty and freedom waxes and wanes. Currently, I am encouraged by signs that it is in the ascendancy. Seven intermediate school students are already preparing to host their third annual Veteran's Day ceremony in an unincorporated community in our county. Next month our VFW post will present our third annual high school presentation. Each year students fill the auditorium like a Trump rally even though it is not a required event and held on a Saturday afternoon. Yes, the signs are good
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