Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, concieved in Liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
Veterans Day is the anniversary of the symbolic end of World War I on November 11, 1918. The date was declared a national holiday in many allied nations to help remember those lost during the war. The exception is Italy, which celebrates the holiday on November 4 for the Armistice of Villa Giusti. The holiday is known as Armistice Day in many nations around the world.
After WWII, the holiday was changed to Veterans Day in the United States and Remembrance Day in the British Commonwealth of Nations. Poland also changed the holiday to National Day and called the Polish Independence Day. In Belgium, the day is known as the Day of Peace.
It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you.
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Thanks to the greatest generation and the ones still fighting for our nation
I’ve never had to kill for my way of life
If it wasn’t for the good lord and the man
there wouldn’t be a breath of freedom in this land
and I see people on my T.V. taking shots at uncle Sam
I hope they always remember why they can
cause we’d all be speakin’ German livin’ under flag of Japan
if it wasn’t for the good lord and the man
The USS New York, carrying 7.5 tons of World Trade Center steel in her bow arrived in New York today. She stopped near Ground Zero and rendered a 21-gun salute from her deck guns. She will be commissioned into service on Saturday. Approximately 13% of her crew is from the state of New York.
Two sister ships will carry names which are also in honor of those killed on 9/11/2001. The USS Arlington (in memory of those killed in the Pentagon attack) and the USS Somerset (in honor of those killed on United 93). The Arlington is scheduled for delivery in 2009 and the commissioning in 2010. The Somerset will follow with delivery in 2010 and commissioning in 2011.
Keni Thomas a former Army Ranger, fought in the battle which is chronicled in the book and movie Black Hawk Down.
He did an awesome job!
And while we are one the subject of it, I wonder why no one has said ONE thing about College Gameday being on the air and talking during the National Anthem before the Red River Rivalry….
In April 2005, Tyson Gentry was injured during spring football practice at Ohio State (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2410168).
This past weekend he was honored as the 2009 Ohio State Alumni Association Gordon E. Gee Spirit of Ohio State Award recipient. Tyson finished his degree this past spring and is currently pursuing his Master’s degree. This award honors an alumni who “demonstrate a devotion to Ohio State and promote school spirit with integrity and honor in an effort to elevate the university and its history.”
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
It’s been 8 years…its hard to believe what has occurred in my life and in the life of our country in that short amount of time.
Please pause today, to remember where you were, at 8:47 EST on September 11th, 2001…where were you when the second plane hit…when the first tower fell…when the second tower fell…when the Pentagon was hit…when the heroes of United Flight 93 took control of their aircraft and in doing so, saved many other lives by giving of their own.
