Twelve Soldiers Fight The War For Freedom

served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Saipan and Tinian during World War II. Richard Bryan, 2nd Lieutenant in the Army 1959-1960, retired from the Army Reserves as a Captain. Tom Daschle served three years as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Air Force Strategic Command. Christopher Dodd served in the Army Reserves, 1969-1975. Tom Harkin was a jet pilot in the U.S. Air Force and later the reserves. At the age of 17, Daniel Inouye administered first aid to the wounded at Pearl Harbor, and later went on to lose his right arm in combat in Italy as a decorated member of the Army's 442nd Regimental Combat Team. James Jefford spent 4 years in the U.S. Navy, then retired as a Captain in the Navy Reserves. Bob Kerrey was a Navy SEAL in Viet Nam, and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. John Kerry earned honors in the Navy in Viet Nam. Frank Lautenberg served in the Army Signal Corps in Europe during World War II. Jack Reed attended the United State Military Academy at West Point, and served as an Army Ranger and paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne division, leaving the service as a Major in 1979. Charles Robb went to college on a Naval ROTC scholarship and earned honors for his service in the U.S. Marine Corps in Viet Nam.

These twelve men, former soldiers, now serve in the United States Senate. They fought in defense of their country's flag on foreign soil, some of them making great sacrifices indeed. But they know that the flag they fought for was just a symbol for a much greater thing: freedom.

They fought another war this week in the Senate. Their opponent was the powerful veterans' lobby. As veterans themselves, they showed remarkable courage, knowing that they must face the men and women who fought alongside them.

These men, with 25 of their fellow lawmakers, have won the latest battle against 63 fellow senators. Though outnumbered, they brought the victory home to us, the American people.

But the war is not over. Some of their colleagues would say that desecrating the flag that these men fought for should be made a high crime; such a high crime that it must be written into the very backbone of our government, the Constitution. But these twelve men know that in reality, they fought for the very right to desecrate the flag, for as abhorrent as they find those who would harm the symbol of their country, they know that it is just that, a symbol.

Let's don't let our symbols get in the way of that which they symbolize.