Those that protect our collective asses.

This last weekend we celebrated Independence day here in the US, non US Citizens would remember it as Saturday.

In light of this holiday and what it means I want to throw out a random pimpage for our men and women that serve and protect our asses on a daily basis.

To our men and women who have served in the past, are currently serving, or will one day serve - Thank you from the bottom of my heart for having the courage ad strength to do something that I physically (and likely emotionally and psychologically) could not endure. Thank you for defending our freedom, thank you fro protecting our way of life, may you come home safe to your family and friends.

To those in the emergency services (Police, Fire, and EMS) Thank you for being here to pick our asses up after stupidity (our own or that of someone else) comes rushing like a freight train into our lives. Thank you for being here to help pick up the pieces and set us back on the path.

To those who have lost a loved one in the line of duty - my heartfelt condolences at your loss, and my thanks for their service.

Too often these heroes get overlooked and ignored, or spit upon while they're doing their jobs to keep our ingratious asses safe so that we have the privilege to spit in their faces. To those that too often mock these brave men and women I hope one day you don't have to look into their eyes as they pull your ass out of harms way. Because I know I wouldn't be able to bear the shame if I treated these folks like that.

God bless the men and women who keep us safe both on foreign soil and our own. Thank God for the bravery the blood the sweat and the tears these folks shed every day so we can sit and whine about petty things in our air conditioning and coffee shops.

Please keep our protectors safe and let them come home to be with their family, I can't wait for the day when we grow up enough so that we don't need their services anymore, but until we arrive at that day thank God we have people willing to serve. I know it's a dream but that is a dream worth having and a dream worth striving for.

Usually I'm a smart ass and a cynical jerk - But this is one thing that I hold very dear to my heart and I don't think our protectors get nearly enough credit that they deserve. I am lucky enough to have many friends in Law Enforcement, EMS, Fire, and the Military and I used to take those professions for granted but knowing some of what these great people have to endure to keep us safe I know that I can never thank them enough. But I have to try to thank them as much as I can.