Without borders, what does Memorial Day mean? (A Ukraine reflection.)

When we look at all those Ukrainians who are dying in their battles against the Russian invasion, do we see people making the ultimate sacrifice for some global ideal? Or for world peace? Or for global humanity? Or keeping international markets open?

No, I’m pretty sure we are watching a people risking their lives in defense of, and in service to, a country. their country’s borders. Borders which the whole world knows are at the heart of this.

our country while performing duties ordered by our government.

For some of us, those lost lives were a parent, or a grandparent, a cousin, an uncle or aunt, a brother or sister, or a classmate or a neighbor. For others of us, they were a colleague in arms. And they died while wearing the uniform of No collection of sacrifices by any of the rest of us in service to our national community can ever add up to the single sacrifice of a person’s very life.

How can we possibly give the honor and respect earned by that sacrifice?

The impossibility, however, does not release us from a responsibility to try. I don’t want to overstate but I also don’t want to be dismissive of the devotion that each American reveals in efforts with us at NumbersUSA to preserve the best – and to improve the rest – of our country through respect for borders and other boundaries that make for a sustainable nation.

Efforts such as those to protect, preserve and perpetuate our country and our national community within our national borders can be a significant way to not let the ultimate sacrifice of all those American soldiers, airmen, Marines and sailors be wasted.

ROY BECK is Founder & President of NumbersUSA