“Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.” - George Orwell
On this day in 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese. President Roosevelt responded by immediately requesting a declaration of war against Japan. The next morning, Congress passed the declaration. We fought to win. It was costly, but we did win.
However, today is not about politics or policies. Today belongs to commemoration and remembrance of those who sacrificed for our freedom. Today I honor and give thanks to those who fought and died for freedom all across the world. We did not restrict our combat to just the nations that the enemy would call home. We fought in the Philippines. We fought in Africa and many other theaters across the world. We went wherever the enemy was, and we lost many thousands of men.
There are those who returned home horribly disfigured. There are those who returned home in coffins, and there are those who never returned home at all. Millions more contributed in their own ways, here at home. They sacrificed, by rationing. They did whatever was necessary to support the troops in any way they could, even though they didn’t fight.
Today I honor those people, who gave for their country, so that the next generation would not have to. Today I am humbled, and even humiliated by the greatness exhibited by an entire generation of American citizens. Today I salute everyone who gave so much to stop the destructive spread of evil that threatened to consume the entire world. I am in awe of their contribution, and I am sobered by the horrible cost of our liberty. I can only hope to strive to be as great as those that gave their lives, blood, and livelihoods, but I know that I will fail to achieve.
Today I reach deep into my heart, and I feel a lump in my throat, and my eyes fill with tears, because I know that all to often, I take for granted the freedom I have, and at least for today, I have dedicated myself to focusing on the great price that was paid for my benefit.
Today, I stand in remembrance of the greatest generation. From the bottom of my heart, I give my most sincere gratitude. Thank you. I am forever indebted to you.
Sincerely,
Michael James Fitch
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Cross Posted on Love America First
Linked on Ferdy, Stop the ACLU, Third World County, Diane's Stuff
