What does sacrifice mean to you?

This is for anyone who has ever said or believes something similar to this in regard to the death of soldiers: Somebody has to sacrifice so that we can enjoy our freedom, or way of life, or so they don't have to die themselves. This is only partially TRUE!

The TRUTH is that you, and me, and every single last one of us MUST SACRIFICE so that we have our freedom. What is really up for debate is THE DEGREE OF SACRIFICE. In a state where you are born into freedom, I believe that there are at least two stages or degrees of sacrifice required to enjoy our freedom or way of life or what have you. At first, everyone must sacrifice some of their time and money in order to become informed of what freedom/liberty is and how to protect it. Then they MUST sacrifice more time and money in order to protest and DEMAND ACTION when that freedom is infringed upon. It is only when this degree of sacrifice is not fulfilled that the second degree of sacrifice is required. That is to say that only when you haven't demanded your freedom not be infringed upon peacefully that further actions or even DEATH is required in order to regain it. What do you think, and how many people aren't sacrificing even to the first degree?

Sacrifice to me is giving up one's particular desire or multitude of desires for the sake of some other wants or necessities.

to me sacrifice can never be a demanded action. it can only be voluntaryly.
i guess certain goverments like to claim that a single person sometimes has to be sacrificed for the higher good.

is that really true?
or is it just to help the goverment - like in wartime - get their desires fullfilled.
usually after a sacrifice we don.t have a much more free freedom or a more brilliant future or what ever has been promised before.

in my opinion the only sacrifice which is worthwhile if parents do it for the sake of their children. the children are the real future.

edit: spelling

[edit on 19-1-2009 by orange-light]

and it SHOULD only be voluntary

Compulsory sacrificing breeds distaste and anger. I love that idea you brought up

to me sacrificing is in degrees as OP stated.

am in the military

I have never deployed...but in working my old job I have worked 12 hour days for a month and a half straight...

it's all relative I think

-Kyo