I don’t usually touch on national politics but with the Fourth of July only a few days away, it seems like a natural time to echo support for our young men and women fighting for freedom in various parts of the world.

I have a few relatives overseas and with each newscast on the television and coverage in various newspapers, the question of whether we should be there starts to creep into my thinking.

I’m from the generation that watched the Vietnam War on television, as a kid. My parents watched intently, each having friends and acquaintances who lost their lives in Southeast Asia. I don’t remember all the political turmoil surrounding the war, but I do remember those television reports.

Here we are 30-plus years later, in a conflict where our Valley youth are off fighting for freedom. I’m not condemning their actions at all, just the opposite, anything we can do to support the troops on the ground is what we should do. But like many Americans I wonder what price is worth a country’s freedom. More importantly, do they really want the freedom that we are attempting to help them achieve? Will they look back in 200-plus years and gratefully acknowledge the role the United States played in helping them achieve their freedom? Will they acknowledge the American lives lost in this effort?

I have been working on a history project in support of the new stadium opening at Mount Si High School. Mount Si was first formed in the summer of 1944, while the United States was deep in World War II. Every week, names of those lost in the war were published on the front page of this newspaper. I hope to never have to be in a position to repeat that exercise.

As we celebrate our independence, think of those overseas who are fighting for another country’s independence. Let’s hope and pray they all come home safely. And for those overseas who might read this on the Internet, hang in there. Your community is behind you 200 percent.