Is Iowa patriotic enough?
Iowa respects the flag. Let me tell you! This part of the country bleeds for its freedom and rights. I am a proud Iowan, and now a proud military wife. The community we are immersed in shows the true colors of our country: Red, White, and Faithful.
Stats on Patriotism in Iowa:
Overall Rank compared to other states: 17th
12th – Percent of Adults Who Voted in the 2020 Presidential Election
10th – Volunteer Rate
1st – U.S. History or Civics Education Requirement
17th – Volunteer Hours per Resident
10th – AmeriCorps Volunteers per Capita
Thank you, veterans.
When I think of patriotism and freedom, I think of our veterans.
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I have had the honor of going on 2 Midwest Honor Flights over the last few years. (I love going back!) It’s a non-profit that takes military veterans of all branches to Washington D.C. with all expenses paid for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the memorials of the wars and branches that represent eras in their life that they dedicated to our country.
Veterans have the best stories. If you want to talk about freedom, take a few moments with a veteran. He or she will make you laugh, cry, and want to punch something all at the same time when you get the juicy stories flowing that leave you #shook. On my first honor flight in 2021, I was sitting with a man who had served in the Navy for several years during the Korean War. He was overwhelmed by the trip to our Nation’s capital and I didn’t hear him say much to anyone other than his guardian until this moment. I asked him what he thought of seeing the U.S. Navy Memorial plaza made of fountains, flags, and informative panels that you see that made any sailor proud. He said, “I don’t deserve this,” as he was sitting in his wheelchair. Even though I went as media to cover and document this trip for the veterans and their families, I set down the camera as we chatted. He was in a submarine for weeks without contact with his family. He gave his life to the country as soon as he was old enough to sign the dotted line. He gave so much back during those years of his life that I grabbed his hands and said, “You deserve all of this and more. Thank you.”
“I don’t deserve this.”
I think of this moment often. We as Americans have a lot we take for granted. I like to think back to the veterans I interact with. We don’t deserve our freedom but boy, am I glad we have it! We are so blessed with the sacrifices these veterans and their families made so we can have what we have today. Some may disagree, but we live in a pretty great country and there is no other place I’d rather be.
I am in a phase of life with exciting new adventures, with periods of separation and loneliness. I am proud to be a military wife. I am proud of the sacrifices my husband makes as he works to be a better soldier. For my military family, the 4th of July is a reminder that goes beyond the cookouts and fireworks. It’s love for everyone in our country.
“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” - 1 Peter 2:16
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Millennial POP QUIZ: and last week’s answer is….. ‘What is The iPhone?’
Here is this week’s question “Who was the winner on the first season of "American Idol?" (#TBT to 2002.) Comment your answer, share this post on social media, and visit next week’s post for the answer.
Find Iowa other writers you’ll enjoy here.
IOWA WRITERS’ COLLABORATIVE
Nicole Baart: This Stays Here, Sioux Center
Ray Young Bear: From Red Earth Drive, Meskwaki Settlement
Laura Belin: Iowa Politics with Laura Belin, Windsor Heights
Tory Brecht: Brecht’s Beat, Quad Cities
Dartanyan L. Brown: My Integrated Live, Des Moines
Douglas Burns: The Iowa Mercury, Carroll
Jane Burns: The Crossover, Des Moines
Dave Busiek: Dave Busiek on Media, Des Moines
Rachelle Chase : Reading with Rachelle, Ottumwa
Iowa Writers Collaborative: Roundup
Steph C: It Was Never a Dress, Johnston
Art Cullen: Art Cullen’s Notebook, Storm Lake
Suzanna de Baca: Dispatches from the Heartland, Huxley
Taylor Deckert : Taylor’s Millennial Mindset, Sioux City
Debra Engle: A Whole New World, Madison County
Randy Evans: Stray Thoughts, Des Moines via Bloomfield
Daniel P. Finney: Paragraph Stacker, Des Moines
Marianne Fons: Reporting From Quiltropolis, Winterset
Arnold Garson: Second Thoughts, Okoboji and Sioux Falls
Julie Gammack: Julie Gammack’s Iowa Potluck, Des Moines and Okoboji
Dennis Goldford: Let’s Talk Politics, Clive
Avery Gregurich: The Five and Dime, Marengo
Fern Kupfer and Joe Geha: Fern and Joe, Ames
Rob Gray's Area: Rob Gray’s Area, Ankeny
Nik Heftman: The Seven Times, Iowa
Beth Hoffman: In the Dirt, Lovilla
Iowa Capital Dispatch, an alliance with IWC
Iowa Podcasters' Collaborative
Iowa Writers Collaborative Roundup Sunday Roundup
Black Iowa News: Dana James, Iowa
Chris Jones: Chris’s Substack, Iowa City
Pat Kinney: View from Cedar Valley, Waterloo
Robert Leonard: Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture, Bussey
Letters From Iowans
Darcy Maulsby: Keepin’ It Rural, Calhoun County
Hola Iowa: Iowa
Alison McGaughey: The Inquisitive Quad Citizen, Quad Cities
Kurtis Meyer: Showing Up, St. Ansgar
Vicki Minor: Relatively Minor, Winterset
Wini Moranville: Wini’s Food Stories, Des Moines
Jeff Morrison: Between Two Rivers, Cedar Rapids
Kyle Munson: Kyle Munson’s Main Street, Des Moines
Jane Nguyen: The Asian Iowan, West Des Moines
John Naughton: My Life in Color, Des Moines
Chuck Offenburger: Iowa Boy Chuck Offenburger, Jefferson and Des Moines
Barry Piatt: Piatt on Politics Behind the Curtain, Washington, D.C.
Dave Price: Dave Price’s Perspective, Des Moines
Steve Semken: Ice Cube Press, LLC, North Liberty
Macey Shofroth: The Midwest Creative, Norwalk
Larry Stone: Listening to the Land, Elkader
Mary Swander: Mary Swander’s Buggy Land, Kalona
Mary Swander's Emerging Voices: Emerging Voices, Kalona
Cheryl Tevis: Unfinished Business, Boone County
Ed Tibbetts: Along the Mississippi, Davenport
Jason Walsmith: The Racontourist, Earlham
Kali White VanBaale: 988: Mental Healthcare in Iowa, Bondurant
Teresa Zilk: Talking Good, Des Moines
Wishing y’all a very red, white, and blue holiday, to all my friends on the internet!