Once again, I've appropriated the title of a schlocky country song about a cheating heart to title an article that is completely and totally unrelated. But I had to give propr to the song, whose title I so shamelessly stole (can't remember the name of the singer; furthermore, don't care).

As our soldiers are out fighting overseas, we should be proud. Whether the conflict is right or wrong should not affect our pride in our soldiers; they've rightfully left it to their commanders to analyze the reasons for the war and the strategies therein. As Memorial Day approaches, we should be proud of these soldiers, some of whom will never see their homeland again (hopefully this number is VERY few). But we should also appreciate those who have fought and died for our freedoms domestically.

Their names are many, and there are far more anonymous among them than known. But they were the noble men and women (most notably in the Quaker community) who risked their homes and freedoms to assist the flight of slaves to the north and to freedom in creating and maintaining the Underground Railroad. They were the noble men and women of ALL races who stepped up after the emancipation of those slaves to demand voting rights and full citizenship rights, often under a flurry of death threats and violence meant to intimidate. They are the men and women who fought for women's suffrage and full citizenship status for the women of this country. They are the patriots who have resisted repeated attempts to water down, reinterpret, or utterly violate the rights that our founding fathers meant to preserve for all time. They are the ones who stood for justice even as injustice raged all around them.

While the guns of our soldiers preserved our democracy in foreign lands, the actions of these noble patriots preserved our Constitution at home. Often with the simple act of voting, they have worked to ensure that the warriors fighting overseas have a country to come home to, and that the principles of democracy continue to guide this country.

The best part of it all, is there is room for anyone in the war at home. There is so much that anyone can do to make their world a better place. Campaign for a candidate you believe in, run for office yourself, speak out in local and areas news outlets about the issues that are near and dear to your hearts, and read your Constitution, study it and know it. So many people appeal blindly to this document, yet so few have taken the time to engage in the study of it. Its study is not an exercise for lawyers, paralegals, and politicians, but for anyone who cherishes the democracy that we have.

This Memorial, remember those who died on the battlefield. Honor them in your hearts. But do not forget those who sacrificed equally at home to preserve the freedoms so many of us enjoy without a second thought.