I'm proud to be a ... landscaper?

I realized something funny today. I'm proud of my job as a landscaper. What makes this funny is that I was not and am not proud of what I did in the army. I don't mean that I didn't do a good job; I did a very decent job, but I rarely took pride in it, and the pride I did have was only so that I could get a pat on the back, if only from myself. The only job that I may ever have that people respect, I'm not proud of.
Does this seem sad to you? Well, it does to me, too.
Before you start passing judgement on me, though, let me explain my position. It's very simple: My government is extremely screwed up. We are not taking our foreign relations in the right direction. As an example, in the 80's, during the Iran/Iraq war, the U.S. was providing weapons to Iraq, because we hoped they would prevail. At the same time, Israel was proving weapons to Iran, because they Israel felt Iraq was a greater threat. Where did Israel get these weapons to hand over to Iran? The got them from the U.S. So, by us intervening in the war, instead of Iran and Iraq fighting with sticks and stones, Iran and Iraq were fighting with bombs, and chemical and biological weapons. Oh, and these chemical weapons that were provided to Iraq are the same ones that were used on the Kurds.
Let's look at some of what's happening now. We are arming Iraq again. We are talking about war with Iran. We are considering arming the Kurds. Bush just said that NOW is the time for Palestenian/ Israeli peace talks, as if tomorrow wasn't! We, through our operations in Iraq and our dealings with prisoners in GITMO, are driving a bigger wedge between our country and the Middle East.
So, you tell me, as a soldier, what do I have to be proud of? I'm not fighting for your freedom. It's your job to do that by getting your butt to the polls. I'm not fighting to free the Iraqi people. Freedom can only be won from within. I'm not fighting to make America a safer place. The threat can only be reduced by treating people with kindness; the golden rule. I'm not even fighting to spread American values; they can only be spread BY American values! You tell me: WHAT AM I FIGHTING FOR!?!?! I certainly don't know!!
As a landscaper, though, I know exactly what I am fighting for: I'm fighting for freedom! Fighting by supporting capitalism, by earning my boss as much as I possibly can, so he, in return, will provide me with a decent wage, and invest back into his business, so that, in time, another person will be able to earn a decent wage. I'm fighting to make America a safer place, by treating men of all races and backgrounds with respect and kindness, showing them that all Americans don't hate. I'm fighting to spread knowledge, by trying to light a fire in everyone I meet.
I'm fighting to make my world a better place, and that's why I'm proud to be a landscaper.