Uvalde Credibility Crisis & Memorial Day - Freedom isn’t Free

Uvalde Credibility Crisis & Memorial Day - Freedom isn’t Free - Top 3 Takeaways - May 27th, 2022  

1. Credibility crisis in Uvalde that sounds all too familiar in South Florida. Shots fired in a parking lot. An unlocked door. Multiple law enforcement agencies responding but none seemingly taking command. What was depicted in Texas yesterday sounded all too similar to the failures at Stoneman Douglas. That’s troubling for all of the obvious reasons. What’s also troubling is the credibility crisis of how dramatically the narrative changed from one day to the next. It’s not at all unusual for initial reports of breaking news to change once the facts are known. It is highly unusual for information to be presented as facts a day later to change as dramatically as they did yesterday. And all of it is even more concerning. We went from being told a school resource officer confronted the attacker prior to entering the school and was wounded in an exchange of gunfire...to there not having been a school resource officer onsite at the time of the attack. We went from hearing that the school was under lockdown protocol to learning that a door to the school appeared to be unlocked. And the next whooper. That apparently an hour went by before Border Patrol arrived on the scene doing what multiple responding law enforcement agencies hadn’t done to neutralize the threat. Even if it's true, as was depicted yesterday, that almost all of the gunfire happened in the first 4 minutes, it's beyond hard to swallow the thought that 4th grade children were left in a classroom with the gunman for an hour with law enforcement on the scene. There’s a credibility crisis in Uvalde and increasingly what appears to have been stunning failures that sound all too familiar as well. And perhaps that’s why... 
2. Florida should be the model. When talking about energy policy we’ll often talk of an “all of the above” strategy. Aside from the fact that’s not currently happening within the Biden administration, something similar is true when it comes to our schools and our society. We need an all of the above strategy. While I’ve passionately spoken about the need for us to reconnect with God and our faith, as that’s what’s ultimately behind what’s broken with those on the brink in society, that’s obviously not going to happen for those who continue to choose to reject God and for parents who continue to choose to raise children irresponsibly. There is a need for an all of the above strategy. 30 days, that’s all it took for the state of Florida to pass comprehensive gun control and school safety measures. It was based on facts, it was based on data and had it been in place in Texas, what happened Tuesday wouldn’t have been possible to have happened the way that it happened. Florida should be the model for reform. It doesn’t fix the crux of the issue, but it has been effective for containing it.  
3. Freedom isn't free. Of all federal holidays none is more solemn or as significant as Memorial Day. Increasingly, the purpose and significance of the day of remembrance is blurred in our society. As Americans, we all have a responsibility on Memorial Day to pay homage to those who granted us freedom with their lives. It started with the 4,435 Americans who died in the American Revolution and has continued with over 7,000 Americans who've sacrificed their lives fighting terrorism around the world since 9/11. In our near 246 years as a country, over 1.5 million Americans have sacrificed their lives for freedom. Our freedom. The least we can do is take a little time one day a year to honor their sacrifice. After World War II, and at the time of the official declaration of Memorial Day as a federal day of remembrance in 1967, approximately 12% of the US population had served in the military. For those who survived the Great War and The Forgotten War, they didn't need a reminder of the sacrifices made by those who didn't return home. Today, under 1% of Americans serve. It's become easy for most to take for granted the freedom they enjoy. Over 80% of the world's population isn't free and the median per capita income outside of the United States is under $5,000 per year. Many in our society lack perspective because they never had it, weren't taught it or simply place politics disproportionately above what's most important. It's important that we all do our part to ensure we have perspective and share it with those in our lives. Freedom isn't free. It never has been. It's paved with the blood of more than 1.5 million Americans who laid down their lives in service to our country. It’s our duty as Americans to honor them and remember them this Memorial Day.