VETERANS DAY

This is a speech I will give on Veterans Day at my children's school.

THANK YOU MRS. MOORE, FATHER BILL AND OUR VETERANS FOR HONORING ME WITH THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THIS MOST SOLEMN OF OCCASIONS.

WE ARE HERE TODAY TO REMEMBER OUR VETERANS ON VETERANS DAY.

THIS DAY BEGAN IN 1918 AS ARMISTICE DAY WHERE ON THE 11TH HOUR OF THE 11TH DAY OF THE 11TH MONTH, PEACE WAS SECURED IN WORLD WAR I. AND JUST LIKE 81 YEARS AGO, TODAY AMERICANS WILL REFLECT ON THIS DAY AND REMEMBER FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO FOUGHT IN THE PAST, THOSE THAT ARE FIGHTING TODAY, AND THOSE THAT WILL NEVER RETURN HOME FROM THE FIELD OF BATTLE.

ALL OF US IN THIS ROOM, INDEED EVERY CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRY AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD LIVE IN PEACE TODAY BECAUSE OF THE SACRIFICE THAT OUR SOLDIERS, SAILORS, AIRMEN, MARINES, AND COAST GUARDMEN HAVE MADE.

WHEN WE THINK OF THE FREEDOMS THAT WE ENJOY IN THIS COUNTRY WE CAN THANK OUR VETERANS. A THANK YOU TO A VETERAN THAT YOU KNOW OR SEE ON THE STREET IS A THANK YOU TO THESE MEN AND WOMEN FOR THEIR SERVICE AND TO THE MORE THAN 1 MILLION VETERANS THAT HAVE MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFCE AND WHO’S DEBT WE CAN NEVER REPAY. YOU SEE, LIKE THE SONG SAYS, “FREEDOM ISN’T FREE.”

BUT EACH OF US CAN HONOR OUR VETERANS BY TAKING A LITTLE BIT OF TIME OUT OF OUR BUZY SCHEDULES TO SAY, “THANK YOU” TO THEM FOR THEIR SACRIFICE.

WHEN WE MEET AND ASSEMBLE TO QUESTION AND CRITICIZE THE POLICIES OF OUR PRESIDENT, OUR CONGRESS, OUR GOVERNOR AND EVEN OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER, WE CAN THANK THE VETERANS THAT STORMED THE BEACHES OF NORMANDY AND GUADALCANAL AND TURNED THE TIDE OF A WAR OF AGRESSION STARTED BY MADMEN WHO WOULD CRUSH ALL OPPOSITION. WE CAN THANK OUR VETERANS FOR PRESERVING OUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

WHEN WE MAKE THE SIGN OF THE CROSS AS CATHOLICS, OR KNEAL ON OUR PRAYER RUGS AS MUSLIMS, OR PLACE THE STAR OF DAVID ON OUR DOOR FRAMES AS JEWS, WE CAN THANK THE VETERANS THAT SERVED IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS OF KOREA AND THE HUMID JUNGLES OF SOUTHEAST ASIA AGAINST ENEMIES WHO OUTLAWED ALL RELIGIONS. WE CAN THANK OUR VETERANS FOR PRESERVING OUR FREEDOM TO WORSHIP GOD IN THE WAY EACH OF US CHOOSES.
WHEN WE SIT DOWN AT NIGHT WITH OUR FAMILIES AND ENJOY OUR MEALS AT THE KITCHEN TABLE WE CAN THANK OUR VETERANS THAT PATIENTLY SERVED OUR COUNTRY WITH A STEEL RESOLVE IN A COLD WAR THAT LASTED 50 YEARS AGAINST AN ENEMY WHOSE PEOPLE WERE DEPRIVED OF THE MOST BASIC NECESSITIES OF LIFE. WE CAN THANK OUR VETERANS FOR THE FREEDOM FROM WANT AND DEPRIVATION.

AND FINALLY WHEN WE GO TO SLEEP AT NIGHT WE CAN THANK OUR VETERANS THAT HAVE FOUGHT SO BRAVELY IN IRAQ AND AFGANISTAN AGAINST RELIGIOUS EXTREMIST WHO USE FEAR AS A WEAPON.

WE CAN THANK OUR VETERANS FOR FIGHTING SO BRAVELY AND WITHOUT FEAR SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE FREEDOM FROM FEAR AT HOME.

WE ALL ARE HERE TODAY TO REDEDICATE THIS DAY TO OUR VETERANS AND TO RECOGNIZE THE SACRIFICES YOU HAVE MADE. KNOW WE CAN NEVER REPAY OUR DEBT TO EACH OF YOU. BUT WE ARE HERE TODAY TO DO THE LEAST WE CAN DO, TO SAY THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR OUR FREEDOM.

GOD BLESS OUR VETERANS, THE LIVING AND THE DEAD, AND GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.