I have loved the Zac Brown Band since I first heard their music. There is a great energy and it’s fun to listen and sing along. The lyrics tend to be upbeat and happy just like the music. As I was listening to one of their biggest hits, Chicken Fried, last night, a section of the lyrics hit me very differently than ever before. It’s because of October 7th and the aftermath of the Israel-Hamas war, the incredible rise of antisemitism and Jew hatred in this country, and what is happening on college campuses.
The lyrics I refer to are:
I thank God for my life and for the stars and stripes. May freedom forever fly, let it ring. Salute the ones who died. The ones that give their lives, so we don’t have to sacrifice all the things we love. Like our chicken fried and cold beer on a Friday night. A pair of jeans that fit just right and the radio up.
I have always loved those lyrics because as an American, I am truly grateful for those who serve in our military. I do thank God for my life, for the freedom that exists in America, and for the sacrifices those who serve make every day so that I get to live such a wonderful life. I truly believe in the slogan, “Home of the free Because of the Brave”.
As I listened to them now, I heard something very different because of what’s going on in Israel. I have many friends who are currently serving in the IDF in Gaza or in the north, recalled from the reserves. I have many friends who have children who were recalled from the reserves or are currently serving in the IDF. I have friends whose relatives were taken hostage by Hamas or were murdered by Hamas on October 7th. I have connections to a number of IDF soldiers who have died in the war.
The lines “Salute the ones who died. The ones that gave their lives, so we don’t have to sacrifice all the things that we love.” really bothered me this time. As I thought of how Israel recalled 300,000 reservists and expected no more than 250,000 to show up, yet 360,000 actually did show up. When I think of the hostages still kept in Gaza by Hamas and the IDF soldiers valiantly fighting hand to hand combat to try to rescue them, it’s hard to align that with us not wanting to sacrifice the things we love. In Israel, they are sacrificing the things they love for the future of Israel and the Jewish people. They are willing to sacrifice their loved ones. Their parents, children, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends in defense of Israel and the Jewish people. They’d gladly sacrifice some comfort food, a cold beer, a comfortable pair of jeans and loud music to get their loved ones back.
I started thinking of all the things we take for granted in our lives and all the people who sacrifice in order for us to have them. The ability to go to a summer camp as a child. It wasn’t inexpensive and my parents and grandparents had to sacrifice so we could go. I went to Jewish Day School for a year, my brother for many years. We all know private school, especially Jewish private schools, are not inexpensive. Yet another sacrifice. As parents, my wife and I made the decision that we did not want our kids working while in school. This included college. Their primary job was school and their education, with their involvement in other things as a secondary priority. They could work if they wanted but only if their schoolwork, their primary job, was strong. It meant we took care of their spending money, car insurance, etc. Not a huge sacrifice but we felt an important one.
My CIT year at Camp Airy (with the girls who were CITs at Camp Louise). What a magical summer. My many years at summer camp only came with sacrifice from my parents and grandparents.
Working as a camp counselor after years of being a camper. I’m still in touch with a number of these guys nearly 40 years later. Thanks mom and dad, grandma and grandpa.
As I am contemplating sacrifice and how, as Americans, we are so entitled, I learned about another example. Idan Amedi, a well-known Israeli singer and actor, who starred in the amazing TV show Fauda’s as Sagi, was seriously injured in Gaza while voluntarily serving in the IDF. Despite having every excuse not to fight, Idan felt it was his duty to protect his country. Can you imagine Mark Ruffalo, Brad Pitt, Melissa Barrera, Kanye West or Gigi and Bella Hadid doing this? Can you imagine Susan Sarandon letting her children defend the country? They are happy to take their money and speak out without knowledge but actually make a sacrifice?
Idan Amedi, known by many as the character Sagi from Fauda.
Highlighting Idan, a celebrity and entertainer, is the American way to view things. In Israel, Idan is no different that the father or mother who leaves their family, the business owner who leaves their business not knowing what will be there when they return or many other Israelis who put the country first rather than allowing others to make the sacrifice for them..
When I think about things like chicken fried, cold beer, jeans that fit right or loud music in this context, I get angry. Why? Because of the things that we choose to matter are really so unimportant, so shallow, especially with hostages still held in Gaza by Hamas. These innocent people who were kidnapped and have been held in brutal conditions for over 100 days. Kfir Babis turned 1 year old this week, having spent a quarter of his life as a hostage, living underground.
Kfir at 8 or 9 months old just before being taken as a hostage by Hamas. We can only hope and pray he is still alive now that he turned 1 in captivity.
Karin Ariev, Daniela Gilboa, and Agam Berger, all 19 years old, and Liri Albag, 18 years old, brutalized by Hamas for more than 3 months. We can’t imagine how they are being treated. We cannot forget them.
I think about the atrocities on October 7th and the promises to continue to do it again and again and again by Hamas leadership and I understand, as much as I can living in America, the need for sacrifice. I’ve seen the 47 minute Hamas video. This story below is horrifying but shows the evil of Hamas and why we must never allow evil to continue, even at great personal and communal sacrifice
WARNING – this is hard to listen to so before you hit play, be prepared.
The hostages have not been seen by the Red Cross. They have not been given medicine. No human rights organizations are crying for their release or to see them. You can read what the hostages who have been released report it was like and imagine how much worse it is for those 136. Do they know there are people in the world who care about them, or do they feel forgotten? They surely don’t care about a cold beer, chicken fried food, a pair of jeans, or listening to music. They are paying a horrible price in the fight for Israel and the Jewish people.
A total of 136 people remain as hostages in Gaza, held by Hamas, after being kidnapped.Their names are listed here. We must never forget them and remember their names and that each one of them is a person with a family.
It’s a lesson to us about priorities and taking responsibility. In the world we live in, with the situation and challenges we face in America, perhaps learning to take personal responsibility and to serve the greater good is what is sorely needed.
I became obsessed with the writing and thoughts of Kareem Abdul Jabbar a few years ago. He always makes me think just a little deeper. In his most recent writing, he highlights a quote from Taika Waititi’s recent soccer movie Next Goal Wins. As Kareem writes, “an American coach is being punished for his on-field outbursts by being assigned to coach a team from American Samoa that not only has never won a game but never scored a single goal. The hard-drinking loner lost in grief for his dead daughter is soon welcomed into the local community where their warmth and love heals him. At one point, the coach tells the local man who has helped him understand the Samoan way of life that he can’t win the game. The man’s response: “Then lose. But don’t lose alone, lose with us.”
In Israel, the people are fighting together. Politics have been put aside. Personal grievances are not important. The wants and needs of the individual are not the focus but the needs of the country are front and center. The required sacrifice of every person who lives there is something to aspire to. Jew, Muslim, Christian, Druze, it doesn’t matter. They are all Israelis and will win or lose together. They are committed to doing everything they can to win because losing isn’t an option, just like losing alone isn’t an option for the Samoan talking to the coach in the movie. It often seems that in America, we’d rather lose alone.
The song Chicken Fried is lighthearted and meant to be. Yet there is a powerful lesson to be learned about allowing others to make major sacrifices for our personal pleasure. I’m grateful to those that keep us safe so we get to live the way do, but I won’t ever take them for granted. One of my favorite camp counselors was a Viet Nam veteran and I personally saw the impact of the war on him as well as the lack of support he, and those who served, got from the public when they returned. Its something I will never forget. I pray for a quick, safe, and successful end to the war in Gaza, I also pray for the families of and those serving in both the IDF and the US military, for the families of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, and for those still held in captivity and their families by Hamas.
Perhaps the lyrics should really be
I thank God for my life and for the stars and stripes. May freedom forever fly, let it ring. Salute the ones who died. The ones that give their lives, and those who continue to serve, so we can continue to live in freedom. Like our freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
It’s not as catchy, but sure rings truer.
I took this picture myself and wanted to end this post with something hopeful and beautiful. Being there and just looking at the picture and reflecting gives me great hope for the future.
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