This is my father (right), who was in the U.S. Army during World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War.  As an 18-year-old, he got on the ship, the Queen Elizabeth, and shipped to England, where he fought against the Nazis and was on the beaches of Normandy.

When I wonder if I have the courage to speak out against racism and neo-Nazis, I remind myself of the courage of my parents, and this steels me to be strong. He did not make the sacrifices he has made in his life so that I can be a coward.

When I wonder if I have the fortitude to be outspoken, I think about my father-in-law (left), who was shot down in the Pacific during World War II, but came home, built a business and raised a family, serving the community of Hettinger, N.D., with honor and decency.

When I wonder if I have the backbone to speak out against injustice, I think about my husband (right), who left his life in North Dakota, where he would rather have been fishing and hunting, and served his country during the Vietnam War.

When I wonder if I have anything to say about the difficulties we face in our country, I remember my brother (below), who devoted an entire career to the U.S. Navy and would expect no less of me.

I have a very clear memory as a little girl of singing the song in church “Jesus loves the little children. All the children of the world.” I may be a soft-voiced woman, but I am also a writer and my words can matter. Our individual voices speaking out, in hope of a better world, are what matter. Our service to others, in hope of a better world, is what matters.