Thor Schrock

Schrock Innovations is closed today so that our employees can spend quality time with their families and observe the sacrifices of those who have fallen (and continue to fall) protecting our country and its ideals. Because of these sacrifices we experience freedom and opportunity on a level unparalleled anywhere else in the world.

Unless you work at Google. Once again this year, Google gives veterans and military service members the shaft by not honoring Memorial Day with a variation of the Google logo.

Google celebrates multiple holidays by displaying a variation of the Google logo on their home page. While dates like Edvard Munch's Birthday and Earth Day go recognized, the day that honors the Americans who gave their lives to protect the rights that Google is founded upon don't even get a thank you.

Without the right to free speech Google would not be able to rank websites by their perceived relevance. People who complain that Google ranks other junked up websites higher than content-rich website are given a cold, "that's just our opinion" from Google. Of course, they have a First Amendment right to it.

That is, in fact, they ONLY thing protecting their right, which was and is defended every day by the people who sacrifice their time, opportunity, and in some cases life and limb.

If there was a search engine out there that could compete with Google, I would recommend you use them today as a symbolic protest. But unfortunately no one comes close to Google in search. So I, like many others, will hold my nose and click the "I feel lucky" button when in fact Google should be the one feeling lucky.

Thank you veterans for your service. Know that while some may believe that freedom is inherent in a society, there are just as many of us that know we owe it all to you and the jobs that you do every day.