Robert Hardy read this out on Remembrance Songs of Praise and I found it quite thought provoking.
The Soldier
Charles M. Province
It is the soldier, not the minister, who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the student activist, who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.
It is the soldier, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the soldier, not the politician, who has given us the right to vote.
It is the soldier who salutes the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who permits the protester to burn the flag.