Ditto, writes Roth-Douquet. When she — a Princeton grad and former Clinton appointee — told friends she was planning to marry a Marine officer, they were shocked. But then, September 11 happened. As Doth - Douquet puts it, "Friends who previously hinted that [my husband] should probably find responsible work in the civilian world were now suddenly glad to have him in the Marine Corps."
Schaeffer and Roth-Douquet are right: It's wrong for an entire class of Americans to consider themselves exempt from serving their country — and then to expect to lead it. Tomorrow — Veterans Day — we ought to reflect not only on the sacrifices made by earlier generations of veterans, but also on how we can spread out the sacrifice more fairly among all classes of Americans.
America's most privileged youth should remember something their ancestors well understood: To whom much is given, much is expected — and that applies to serving their country.
Chuck Colson
Chuck Colson was the Chief Counsel for Richard Nixon and served time in prison for Watergate-related charges. In 1976, Colson founded Prison Fellowship Ministries, which, in collaboration with churches of all confessions and denominations, has become the world's largest outreach to prisoners, ex-prisoners, crime victims, and their families.
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