While I spent a peaceful night sleeping in the comfort of home, rising early to work at home, then prepare to fly to New York City for the Pajamas Media launch, I thought about the people who’re helping to keep me free and safe.
Four years ago, foreign enemies, allowed into the United States through lax immigration policies, declared war on the United States. In that single event, 3,000 people were murdered.
Though suspicion was raised when some of the foreigners attended American flight schools, the government did nothing to stop them. Despite complaints about our government’s many flaws, it’s still the best system ever conceived.
To the men and women who pledged to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution, traveling to foreign lands to face the enemy, I thank you for your sacrifice. Know that your service is exceedingly more important and necessary than all the chattering we talking-heads and pretend-pundits will ever do.
Those willing to take up arms to protect these shores ought to be respected, and I’m one American who respects and honors you every day of the year.
Veterans Day 2005
History of Veterans Day
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It’s still worth something today, thirty years after I left the Middle East, eighty-seven years after the Armistice that ended the World War. (Little did anyone suspect in 1918 that there would soon be another World War, worse than the first.) Fear, left unchecked, eats the soul. The soldier acknowledges that fear, and presses on regardless. For that, and for so much more, we thank him on this day.
Today we celebrate the living. The survivors. We honor the dead in May. Except today we honor the dead, too. We can’t help it. The bonds of combat soldiery are tightest because of those who went with us but didn’t come back, they took the low road while we took the high.
Are you paying tribute to veterans? Trackback, and I’ll link.
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Update (1:38 p.m.): George Bush:
Some have also argued that extremists have been strengthened by our actions in Iraq, claiming that our presence in that country has somehow caused or triggered the rage of radicals.
I would remind them that we were not in Iraq on September the 11th, 2001.
The hatred of the radicals existed before Iraq was an issue. And it will exist after Iraq is no longer an excuse.
The government of Russia did not support Operation Iraqi Freedom, and yet the militants killed more than 150 Russian school children in Beslan.
Over the years, these extremists have used a litany of excuses for violence: the Israeli presence on the West Bank, the U.S. military presence in Saudi Arabia, the defeat of the Taliban, or the crusades of a thousand years ago.
In fact, we are not facing a set of grievances that can be soothed and addressed. We’re facing a radical ideology with unalterable objectives to enslave whole nations and intimidate the world.
No act of ours invited the rage of killers and no concession, bribe or act of appeasement would change or limit their plans for murder.
On the contrary, they target nations whose behavior they believe they can change through violence.
Against such an enemy, there is only one effective response: We will never back down, we will never give in, we will never accept anything less than complete victory. (Emphasis added)
Now I remember why I voted for him.
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Thank you. JD Pendry, US Army Retired (1971-1999)
La Shawn:
There appears to be an element of “hopelessness” among many French immigrants.
Some of this appears similar to that of some Americans.
The difference is that any number of “opressed” Americans can tell their story – about “lifting themselves up” an becoming “somebody”. Unfortunately, few “underclass” in France can tell the same story.
I would not for one minute deny that we have “problems” here – but I would not hesitate for a minute to “Blow our Horn” internationally. This includes open praise for our Military, living and dead.
For those who believe we are not “friendly enough” to the “International Community” by doing what they want, look no further than France.
Henry V, speaking to his troops before the battle of Agincourt in 1415, as imagined by Shakespeare:
“…That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made
And crowns for convoy put into his purse:
We would not die in that man’s company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say ‘To-morrow is Saint Crispian:’
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say ‘These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.’
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day: then shall our names.
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember’d.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember’d;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.”
LaShawn, I’m a vet/blogger paying tribute to my fallen comrades and to an amazing lady who wore my lost wingman’s MIA bracelet for thirty years, before giving it to his young cousins. See Midweek Reality Check at the above website.
To all who have served before me, to all that I proudly served with (US Army, 1st Infantry Division — the Big Red One), and to all that continue to serve today: Thank you.
“For those who have fought for it, freedom has a taste the protected will never know.”
Great post about Veteran’s Day Lashawn. I remain a fan.
In Flanders Fields
John McCrae, 1872-1918
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies blow
In Flanders fields.
Please take time this week to thank a veteran.
La Shawn Barber has a nice Veteran’s tribute with links to many others.
If you’d vote for the President again, join the Blogger’s Rally for Bush Here:
http://rightfaith.blogspot.com/2005/11/bloggers-rally-for-bush.html
I would like to add my thanks to the vets who protect our freedoms and rights. I would not be here today without these folks
And THIS is how we support our troops on Veteran’s day?
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=56522
Thanks for the great tributes…and for linking to me at Bloggin Outloud. Another great website is http://www.welcomehomesoldier.info/ which is a tribute song to returning armed forces. Check it out. lgp
Thanks for the wonderful post La Shawn!
The day of remembrance is waning and I feel the need to remember. My grandfather was killed in France in WWI. My father fell in France in WWII. My mother was a young widow with four children and but for the charity of strangers, who know what might have become of us.
I broke the “jinx” in the Viet Nam era.
Now, my children carry on the tradition of “country first.”
Veteran’s Day is not a day of remembrance for me, but a day of affirmation. I cringe when I hear about “the ultimate sacrifice.” No veteran is less of a man for surviving the odds. The strength of our republic lies not so much in those who died as in those who gave their service.
I accept the admonition: Let no man write my my epitaph. We are each responsible for our own lives and subject to the winds of fate. But, in the final note, we are what we are and having served in a noble cause is neither elevated nor lessened by having died or survived.
When the final roll is called, we can only ask: were you there when you were needed or did you find a convenient escape hatch to certain, ignominious safety?
You people still don’t get it. And until you (we) stop and take a look at the different perspectives/perceptions of the world—terrorism will exist.
If you want to honor the men and the women who fought before and now, the first step is to insure that we don’t let someone (ex. Bush) redefine when we send our young men and women to war.
When you don’t have to personally fight in a war, support for the war becomes easy.
#75 Kathy writes: “You people still don’t get it. And until you (we) stop and take a look at the different perspectives/perceptions of the world—terrorism will exist.”
Well, you are entirely correct. I don’t get it. Please explain how looking at the different perspectives/perceptions of the world will secure our safety from terrorism. I am all ears.
This Veterans Day, I would encourage you to make a conscience effort to show your support to those who have taken the oath to place their lives ahead of ours in the defense of our nation.
How many politicians have violated this vow everytime? and remember they do it with the right hand on the bible
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