Time for my annual "Stop Being a Whiny Little Pansy, Veterans" speech.
Happy Independence Day, brothers and sisters.
I want to say something that might ruffle some feathers, and I say it with love as a combat veteran myself.
Stop demanding that your neighbors cancel their fireworks because YOU have PTSD.
I get it. I really do. The sounds can be brutal. But here is the thing we seem to forget sometimes: we did not serve this country so that Americans would have to ask our permission to celebrate their own freedom. We served FOR THEM. The whole point was to protect their right to live freely, celebrate loudly, and wave sparklers in their front yards until midnight.
So tonight, put in your earplugs. Crank up the music. Go for a drive. Talk to your therapist, your battle buddy, your dog, or your spouse. Do whatever YOU need to do to get through the noise. That is on us to manage, not on them to suppress.
The greatest honor to our service is watching this country celebrate the freedom we helped protect. Let them have it.
Hooah. Happy Fourth. Happy 250th. May it ever be so that we remain the greatest country on earth!