Sorry for this long post. It comes from Chuck Missler.
Land of the Free, Because of the Brave
from the November 07, 2006 eNews issue
"It is, in a way, an odd thing to honor those who died in defense of our country, in defense of us, in wars afar away. The imagination plays a trick. We see these soldiers in our mind as old and wise. We see them as something like the Founding Fathers, grave and gray-haired. But most of them were boys when they died, and they gave up two lives, the one they were living and the one they would have lived. When they died, they gave up their chance to be husbands and fathers and grandfathers. They gave up their chance to be revered old men. They gave up everything for our country, for us. And all we can do is remember." - Ronald Reagan
This Saturday is Veterans Day. Formerly known as Armistice Day, it was originally instituted to commemorate the 1918 cease fire agreement that ended World War I. In November of 1919, President Woodrow Wilson issued the following proclamation:
"...To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nation."
President Calvin Coolidge dedicated Armistice Day "to the cause of world peace." However after World War II the significance of this day changed. On May 24, 1954 congress officially renamed the holiday Veterans Day. Today, Veterans Day is set aside to honor United States military personnel who have fought gallantly in all wars, not just World War I. It is a day dedicated to the 25 million Americans who wear the proud title of veteran.
On Veterans Day we remember the men and women of our Armed Forces through the centuries who have come together to fight for a common cause. They’ve defended America when our borders, our people and our way of life have been threatened. They are ordinary people who have been placed in extraordinary circumstances. Veterans are people who know the true meaning of courage. From the battles of Lexington and Concord – where the blood of the first American patriots was spilt – to the trenches of Europe and the desert sands of Iraq, our soldiers have put their lives on the line for liberty.
Now, more than ever, our troops need your support and encouragement. Gone are the days of the ticker-tape parades that welcomed our troops home from battle. Media coverage of the war in Iraq focuses more on the death toll than the heroic accomplishments of our men and women in uniform. To make matters worse, highly publicized incidents like the abuse at Abu Ghraib prison have cast a shadow of disparagement over our military. This Veterans Day remember to say thank you to those who have served our nation in the armed forces. Also, please remember to pray for the brave men and women who are still deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.