John Goold: Thank those who stand guard, keeping us safe

As Edmund Burke said in 1897, “We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would harm us.” It is not because, as citizens or homeowners we patrol our own streets, nor that, as individuals, we stand guard beside our front doors. As a community, we cede that concern to those we hire and train to protect us against all enemies. We pay and trust them to do their jobs; to carry out their duties faithfully. In actuality, the vast majority truly do that exact thing very well.

So sleep well tonight, America. Come tomorrow, will you not at least spend a single, solitary micro-second realizing the only reason you are rested and refreshed this fine morning is, at least in some part, due to those who don the uniform 24 hours a day and do their best, whatever that is, to protect your slumber?

I’m sure there are many who adamantly aver that they pay their pittance in taxes for no less than such reassurance. So why not thank them for it when you see them?

This story was originally published July 21, 2016 at 5:35 PM with the headline "John Goold: Thank those who stand guard, keeping us safe."