Independence Day, again

One of the strange things for me is how many people think that the highest glory of this country, and those that serve it best, are the ones that kill people and break things.  I was reminded of this by a bunch of Unitarians singing the Star Spangled Banner tonight while watching the Disneyland fireworks display.  Yes, I well remember the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air - in Baghdad on March 19, 2003.  The Germans at least have learned to be ashamed of such conduct.

What I find especially strange about this is two things - first, am I the only one that realizes that breaking things is actually a whole lot less work, requiring far less ability, than building them?  I'm reminded of that every time I knock a bottle or a cup off the counter and then get to clean it up.

And isn't killing people, especially when you have fancy toys with which to do it, a lot easier, requiring far less ability, than healing people or building them up; and second, what is accomplished by such deeds?  Is vandalism and mayhem really the height of any nation's glory?

Why do they not instead glory in the effective teachers, or the speech and language pathologists, or bridge inspectors, or helpful and courteous clerks at the DMV, or any others that actually do something for the people of this country.