"War, children is just a shot away, is just a shot away"
We are reminded this day as to just how close war can be by the actions of one jihad's act of terror. As our dear President declared eloquently and stately before 10,000 mourners and military personnel yesterday:
...It may be hard to comprehend the twisted logic that led to this tragedy. But this much we do know - no faith justifies these murderous and craven acts; no just and loving God looks upon them with favor. And for what he has done, we know that the killer will be met with justice - in this world, and the next...
...We are a nation that guarantees the freedom to worship as one chooses. And instead of claiming God for our side, we remember Lincoln's words, and always pray to be on the side of God.
We are a nation that is dedicated to the proposition that all men and women are created equal. We live that truth within our military, and see it in the varied backgrounds of those we lay to rest today. We defend that truth at home and abroad, and we know that Americans will always be found on the side of liberty and equality. That is who we are as a people...
...Tomorrow is Veterans Day. It is a chance to pause, and to pay tribute - for students to learn of the struggles that preceded them; for families to honor the service of parents and grandparents; for citizens to reflect upon the sacrifices that have been made in pursuit of a more perfect union.
For history is filled with heroes. You may remember the stories of a grandfather who marched across Europe; an uncle who fought in Vietnam; a sister who served in the Gulf. But as we honor the many generations who have served, I think all of us - every single American - must acknowledge that this generation has more than proved itself the equal of those who have come before.
We need not look to the past for greatness, because it is before our very eyes.
This generation of soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen have volunteered in a time of certain danger. They are part of the finest fighting force that the world has ever known. They have served tour after tour of duty in distant, different and difficult places. They have stood watch in blinding deserts and on snowy mountains. They have extended the opportunity of self-government to peoples that have suffered tyranny and war. They are man and woman; white, black, and brown; of all faiths and stations - all Americans, serving together to protect our people, while giving others half a world away the chance to lead a better life.
In today's wars, there is not always a simple ceremony that signals our troops' success - no surrender papers to be signed, or capital to be claimed. But the measure of their impact is no less great - in a world of threats that know no borders, it will be marked in the safety of our cities and towns, and the security and opportunity that is extended abroad. And it will serve as testimony to the character of those who serve, and the example that you set for America and for the world...
...Long after they are laid to rest - when the fighting has finished, and our nation has endured; when today's servicemen and women are veterans, and their children have grown - it will be said of this generation that they believed under the most trying of tests; that they persevered not just when it was easy, but when it was hard; and that they paid the price and bore the burden to secure this nation, and stood up for the values that live in the hearts of all free peoples.
So we say goodbye to those who now belong to eternity. We press ahead in pursuit of the peace that guided their service. May God bless the memory of those we lost. And may God bless the United States of America.
The Commander in Chief did a good job marking a tragic moment in American history; a job well done indeed.
We become a proud people and even a sentimental President -- to both war and cause -- upon the anniversary of the fallen men and women in uniform; all of a sudden, even he, sounds like and embodies a man who gets it.
As a famed bumper sticker reads, FREEDOM isn't FREE; there is a price to our life and liberty and pursuit of happiness. It comes in the name of all men and women who came before us, not just in this generation, but yes, to the past -- and this seems to be the only thing that G has difficulty getting around from the President's remarks.
In small gestures and by large example, our President is making a habit of dismissing America's past; "we need not look to the past for greatness, because it is right before our very eyes."
Of course, it is good to recognize the sacrifices of today's boys and girls in the face of today's challenges and dangers around the world. Does it need to come on the tails of disillusionment to either the "greatest generation" as the WWII vets have come to be known, or the first generation of liberators by way of the Revolutionary War, or the generation of the great equalizers of the Civil War? Yes, there was a valiant effort of making note, politely and succinctly, of all those who came before -- and then he just took it back, in a single sentence.
Every part and every effort and every human heart lost brought us to this very day, and perhaps if even so much as one thing changed or was out of place from somewhere down the line, we wouldn't be bowing down here today kissing the ground we walk on.
The progressives can only take us so far; but moving too far, too fast, we are subject to losing our grip of the golden thread that binds our hearts together, building a tapestry that passes from one generation to the next without ever losing a stitch, that ultimately and seasonally blankets us in time of need -- warming our hearts and minds, protecting our children, and bringing shelter to those who mourn .
The veteran in my life, coming after George Washington and all of his men, is my papa. Thank you x
It is the eleventh hour, on the eleventh day, of the eleventh month, marking the end of WWI -- while making today Veterans Day -- just another day celebrating the days of yore (ho hum). May we always recognize our Veterans -- exemplifying and magnifying the patriots of our past -- without them, we would not be a land of the free and home of the brave.
Make it a Good Day, G
by definition, Mr. President, a Veteran is one who has long and already served his country; an active member of the armed forces today is a soldier and until retirement, stands no more a veteran than my dog.
but in all seriousness, while some veterans retire to the golf links, others are wounded from battle. This would be a good day to volunteer, donate and support those who retired not by choice, but on a stretcher. Here's something to watch at realamericanstories.com
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