Thank you Veterans

Steve Breen cartoon via Townhall

From Randall Martin at Townhall:

On this Veterans Day,
I Celebrate My Brothers And Sisters in Arms

Today we celebrate Veterans Day, a holiday that honors all American veterans, living or dead, who served their country honorably during war or peacetime.

On the “11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month” in 1918, the Allied nations and Germany agreed to an armistice, ending World War I, which is generally regarded as “the war to end all wars.” It became known as “Armistice Day,” and is commemorated by many countries.

One year later, in Nov. 1919, President Woodrow Wilson declared Nov. 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day. On June 4, 1926, Congress passed a resolution that stated, “Whereas it is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations.” But it wasn’t until 1954 when the 83rd U.S. Congress renamed Armistice Day, striking the word “Armistice” in favor of “Veterans,” and President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the legislation and later issued the first “Veterans Day Proclamation.”

. . .

Roman statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero once said, “Poor is the nation that has no heroes, but poorer still is the nation that, having heroes, fails to remember and honor them.” These days, we’re bombarded with ever-changing, media-created heroes. But they pale in comparison to the real American heroes: my fellow men and women of the U.S. armed forces, who took on the duty of protecting our freedoms, our homeland and the defenseless around the world.  

Let us be a nation that remembers and honors all those who have served our country, not just on this Veterans Day, but every day for the heroes they are. 

So from one veteran to all the rest: God bless you, and God bless the United States of America. 

Full column is here.

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