Actor Chris Pratt honored America’s fallen service members on Memorial Day in an Instagram post with photos of service members and military spouses paying their respects at the graves of fallen U.S. troops.
Pratt, who is known for his role as Andy in “Parks and Recreation” and Peter Quill/Star-Lord in “The Guardians of the Galaxy” and other Marvel movies, shared 10 photos of military service members and their military family members grieving at the loss of their team mates and loved ones.
“I saw these images on [Special Forces soldier Tim Kennedy’s] feed. Please, look at each one. Pause, give them your consideration,” Pratt wrote. “America’s exceptional armed forces have altered the course of the world for the better.”
“From the Union Army defeating slave owning confederates, to the Greatest Generation and her Allies vanquishing the Nazis or our special operators hunting down the perpetrators of 9/11. We count the names of each fallen solider lest they be countless. They are the good guys. They run to the sound of gunfire. They know pain and suffering we never will. They have given us the most free and decent society planet earth has ever seen.”
“We run the risk of losing that decency when we fail to instill gratitude in the minds of our youth or the perspective of what it actually means to be free- should they never learn of the selfless sacrifice of our armed service members in the face of oppressive evil,” Pratt continued. “So join me in showing support for our fallen. Take a quiet moment to really consider the sacrifice.”
Pratt also responded to potential criticism of his post, writing, “And if you use the comments section on posts like this to bitch and moan about America please understand there are countries in the world where criticizing your government will get you killed or imprisoned.”
“Criticism is a right and necessity in amending the flawed systems of man,” Pratt added. “So by all means, let your voice be heard. But never forget your right to free expression is paid for in blood. May God give their souls rest, and may they live in our memories this weekend and always.”
Pratt has taken on a number of military-related rolls in recent years. Pratt played a Navy SEAL involved in the Osama Bin Laden raid depicted in the 2012 film “Zero Dark Thirty.” Pratt also played the role of a time-travelling Delta Force veteran in the film “The Tomorrow War” set to release on July 2. Pratt is also set to play the role of Lt. Cmdr Reece in the Amazon Studios TV series adaptation of the book “The Terminal List.”
