November 11, 2010, - 12:03 pm
Thank You For Your Service (& Our Freedoms), American Veterans
I’ve posted these pictures, below, several times before on this site. But they bear re-posting. They show the sacrifice, the agony, the emotion of those who serve so we can remain free. Without them and the grace of G-d, we might all be in burqas and keffiyehs, right now. And we certainly wouldn’t be free to say and do as we please. Without them, America would be a scary place . . . if it even existed at all.
Marine Staff Sgt. Mark Graunke, Jr., Iraq War Vet, Hugs Pearl Harbor Survivor/WWII Vet Houston James (Graunke Lost a Leg, Hand, and Eye Defusing a Bomb in Iraq)
Wounded American Marine Salutes President Reagan’s Casket
Some people are upset that there’s no mail or bank service today, and government offices are closed. Others are happy that as government employees they get the day off. But the point is to take some time out–have some reminders–of why we are all free to continue our business, our lives, our families, our ambitions, our freedom of speech, religion, and everything else: because every single day, at risk of losing life or limb, they stand guard, so that we can continue our lives as we wish, without interruption or, worse, tyranny.
Today, I recognize and remember all of those who served, living and dead. I remember my own father, H.L. Schlussel, M.D., a U.S. Army veteran who served during Vietnam, my uncle, Maurice J. Schlussel, M.D., a career Army man who served during World War II and became the top U.S. Army medical officer for the South Pacific after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I salute my cousin, Damian, a career U.S. Air Force soldier who served in Iraq among many other “paradises.” And I salute all of my brave and courageous readers who took the time to serve our country, not knowing what they would face and sacrifice along the way, but joining the U.S. Armed Forces to keep America safe and secure.
Yes, freedom is costly. Today, thank all of those who expended time, energy, limb, and even life to bear that cost for us . . .
G-d Bless You All. And Thank You For Your Service.
My Dad’s Army Uniform From During Vietnam
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And for those of you who dodged the draft so others could serve and die instead of you, shame on you.
It troubles me that conservatives–including faux-conservative Sarah Palin–continue to laud and gush over draft-dodgers like Ted Nugent, who should be behind bars for fraudulently obtaining a student deferment, though he was never a student, so he could go on tour, while other Americans his age died in Vietnam.
I’m also troubled that thousands of American men died and thousands more were maimed and lost limbs in the “service” of handing over Iraq from tyrant Saddam Hussein to even worse tyrants, the Ayatollahs of Iran. They served and did as they were told, but their assignment in Iraq was misguided, and it’s a shame. We gained nothing by being in Iraq. We only lost there. That is part of what Veterans Day is also about: respecting those who served, regardless of the assignment, the questionable assignment in the case of Iraq.
Tags: America, freedom, U.S. Armed Forces, Veteran's Day, veterans
There is nothing honorable about draft-dodging.
And we all owe a debt of thanks to those who died as well those who survived with scars, seen and unseen so we might be free to live our quiet and peaceful existence in our country. Its a debt that can never truly be repaid.
Thank you to America’s Vets for their service and sacrifice. Your country respects and salutes you for all you have done on its behalf.
NormanF on November 11, 2010 at 12:11 pm