Tomorrow on Memorial Day a wreath will be laid at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Let me introduce you to this American. This American regardless of the powerful natural instinct to survive, set fear aside and answered the call to potentially sacrifice all, for his neighbors. This is the true definition of courage and heroism.
With little more than pitchforks and sticks this soldier prevailed against the best equipped and powerful military force known to man in 1776, giving birth to a nation founded on principles that the power of any government should be derived from the governed. That the unique American experiment based on rights given by god and not men’s doctrines would insure eventual equality for all citizens and protect each individual from oppressive intrusion by their governments. A few years later in 1812 this soldier was asked to relive his ordeal while the White House burned. He was successful despite once again overwhelming odds.
We asked him in 1861 to preserve what he had won for us before. We required that he set aside his love for his family and friends and be willing to take up arms against them in the bloodiest war he had ever fought. Maimed and battered he returned home to morn his brothers’ death knowing it could have well been his musket ball that killed him.
This soldier answered the call in not one but two world wars, not only dieing for us but for those he had fought against to create this nation. After seeing the horrors in Auschwitz, we asked him to reintegrate into our society, and fuel the greatest economic growth seen on earth.
We then sent him to Korea to die again fighting a new social idea called communism which was sworn to destroy our way of life. We sent him to an obscure country in the Far East for the same reasons and when he came home he was spit on and shunned by his own people.
Today the Unknown Soldier is once again fighting and dieing for us in the Middle East. He has left his family and friends to once again do our bidding. He rarely asks why. He knows his duty is to the people he serves. When we call on him to give his all, it is our duty to do our best to insure the cause worthy of his sacrifice. It is our duty to remember and honor and support him. He knows his duty as our servant, do we know ours?
Let me introduce you to this American. This American regardless of the powerful natural instinct to survive, set fear aside and answered the call to potentially sacrifice all, for his neighbors. This is the true definition of courage and heroism.
With little more than pitchforks and sticks this soldier prevailed against the best equipped and powerful military force known to man in 1776, giving birth to a nation founded on principles that the power of any government should be derived from the governed. That the unique American experiment based on rights given by god and not men’s doctrines would insure eventual equality for all citizens and protect each individual from oppressive intrusion by their governments. A few years later in 1812 this soldier was asked to relive his ordeal while the White House burned. He was successful despite once again overwhelming odds.
We asked him in 1861 to preserve what he had won for us before. We required that he set aside his love for his family and friends and be willing to take up arms against them in the bloodiest war he had ever fought. Maimed and battered he returned home to morn his brothers’ death knowing it could have well been his musket ball that killed him.
This soldier answered the call in not one but two world wars, not only dieing for us but for those he had fought against to create this nation. After seeing the horrors in Auschwitz, we asked him to reintegrate into our society, and fuel the greatest economic growth seen on earth.
We then sent him to Korea to die again fighting a new social idea called communism which was sworn to destroy our way of life. We sent him to an obscure country in the Far East for the same reasons and when he came home he was spit on and shunned by his own people.
Today the Unknown Soldier is once again fighting and dieing for us in the Middle East. He has left his family and friends to once again do our bidding. He rarely asks why. He knows his duty is to the people he serves. When we call on him to give his all, it is our duty to do our best to insure the cause worthy of his sacrifice. It is our duty to remember and honor and support him. He knows his duty as our servant, do we know ours?