Me and the Kaiser, we are both fighting. The only difference is the Kaiser isn’t here!  — All Quiet On The Western Front

I’ve heard this put two other ways:  “Rich man’s war but a poor man’s fight” and “Old man’s war but a young man’s fight”.  Both express the feeling that those who start wars and profit from them rarely share the danger of actually participating in them.  I think, for the most part, this is valid.  It’s been a very long time since a senator or a president would feel shame for not sending their own children to war with the children of the rest of us.  Where is Lieutenant Clinton, or Sergeant Bush?

This is a symptom, one of the earliest, that our society has lost its sense of duty.  I’m not saying that each and every person needs to wear a uniform, but I do believe we need to give back.  Not with your taxes or your support for social programs.  I mean giving up your time and energy to make the nation stronger.  Maybe you join the Marines, or maybe you volunteer a few hours a week at the soup kitchen.  No matter what, from the top of the ivory tower to the bottom of the gutter, we all should have skin in the game.