FREEDOM IN AMERICA...
Nicci Veltri, Age 14
Submitted May 19, 2003
This poem was written to thank all of the soldiers who have served in the military in the past and those who are currently serving in the military, like my sister. Thank you!
Soldiers in war sacrificed their lives,
Leaving behind their children and wives,
The thought of never coming home again,
Kept them going from beginning to end,
Fighting for freedom was the purpose of the war,
Many gave up their lives for us to have more.
One time a year on Memorial Day,
We each thank them in a special way.
American freedom is a mystery to me,
Without it what would the next day for me be?
When we are eligible we vote for who’s right,
We have a say in who rules if we might.
Living in America as you can see, is
A place where I can grow up to be free.
Freedom to laugh freedom to cry,
Freedom to ask and answer why,
Freedom to believe in whatever you do,
Freedom to dress, and just to be you.
To me our freedom is a dream come true,
But I wish that it was shared with everyone, not just me and you
A soldier is brave, a soldier is true,
To his or her country and protects me and you.
Memorial Day is not once only a year,
But we can remember everyday, to be sincere.
Remember those who died, and keep those who lived in thought,
But never forget the reason why we fought...
FREEDOM
Flag etiquette
A bill that recently passed the Senate finally makes it clear that current and former military personnel can now salute the flag even if they aren’t wearing their uniforms.
The change to U.S. Code Title 4, Chapter 1 introduced by U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) passed the Senate July 25. The old law said veterans and service members not in uniform should place their hand over their heart when they stand before the flag, but it never made it clear whether they could or should salute the flag. Inhofe said he believed it was the appropriate way for the 25 million U.S. veterans to show their patriotism.
“The salute is a form of honor and respect, representing pride in one’s military service,” Senator Inhofe said in a news release. “Veterans and service members continue representing the military services even when not in uniform.”