Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Veterans Day - Thank You Veterans

November 11, 2009.

Another Veterans Day to pay honor to our veterans.

If you are reading this in English, please take time to thank a veteran. We owe a world of thanks to our veterans for this privilege and the freedom to speak our mind.

There is a fine line being crossed today and many won't even recognize the transgression.

Well, it's not exactly an act of aggression or the breaking of any law or statute. It is simply a misunderstanding of a practice that has been handed down over the years.

What is this poor old country boy rambling on about now you ask? Reckon I am just a stickler for details....and like a t-shirt I often wear, it usually will get a decent discussion moving.

The t-shirt..nothing special...it just reads: 'I get enough exercise....just pushing my luck'.

The Internet is filled with the subject of today's holiday.

Veterans Day. To be celebrated every November 11th, on the Eleventh of November, no matter which day of the week it happens to be on....right here in the United States of America.

Other nations call it Remembrance Day and will include the fallen heroes of past wars.

Originally, Veterans Day here in America was designed to honor all our living veterans. Thus the name....Veterans Day.

We have somehow managed to merge a large chunk of Memorial Day into this day. If memory serves me correctly, Memorial Day is tucked away back at the start of summer, right there at the end of May. I think even the government got involved on this one and we are subject to celebrating Memorial Day on a rotating Monday...which gives many a three day weekend. (give me your comments on this down there where comments are asked for...OK?)

Honoring our veterans for their service to our nation. Answering the call to duty during times of war, standing in the gap defending our way of life here in America, and also being at the ready during times of peace.

Acknowledging all veterans who served honorably without regard to the price they were prepared to pay with their lives, for the blessings of being called an American.

I probably will step on some toes with this one, but if we already have a holiday remembering our fallen veterans back in the month of May, why do it twice in a year?

Enough already.

Veterans. I salute you and thank you for your service to our great nation. Thank you for your being the one that stood for me and my family, defending our way of life. Giving us the freedom of choosing where to live, what church to attend, the freedom to drive across our states at our own discretion, and the fact that here in America, we stand proud because of the uniforms you have worn or still wear today, support our Stars and Stripes here and around the world.

Thank you Veterans. Thank You.



4 comments:

  1. Hmmmmm. Well, sir, since you asked-- I'm not sure I see a conflict with the situation. Memorial Day is for the nation to remember and honor the fallen. To keep their sacfrifice foremost in our cultural consiousness. Veterans Day is for remembering and honoring those who are and have worn the colors. There is bleed over to some degree because, aside from the minority military haters of the '60s, this nation respects its veterans. I don't know if that's the kind of feedback you were looking for, my friend.

    Later,

    Jaison

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  2. I'm with Jaison each holiday has 2 distinct meanings but both in some way honor the fighting men of the military that have and are keeping us safe. Are you thinking maybe one should be omitted? I don't think we could honor them enough.

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  3. No way am I entertaining an idea to lessen the deserved honor for our veterans. It seems that when our local media ventures out to put a story together about Veterans Day or Memorial Day, the original intention of either specific holiday is not completely reported. The deadline for a story takes precedence over facts and the history of the moment.

    Our Viet Nam veterans, in my honest opinion have suffered the greatest act of disrespect upon their return home. The government would not let them fight the battle..which was never declared a war...simply a conflict and you could not shoot back across an imaginary line to defend yourself. A slap in the face of the greatest military force known to the world.

    There have only been two defined forces that would lay down their lives for you...

    Jesus Christ and the American G.I.

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