Special to the Mirror by Joe Vaccaro, POST 56
Several years ago I remember reading a poem that was written by Charles M. Province where he wrote:
“It is the Soldier, not the minister, who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the Soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the Soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to protest.
It is the Soldier, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the Soldier, not the politician, who has given us the right to vote.
It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.”
I’m sure there will be some readers who will attempt to dissect these words and twist and interpret them into their own political viewpoint but that’s not the intent of this poem. The simplicity of this poem is every military service member, or in this case a soldier, signed a “blank check” with their lives to defend the freedoms that so many of us have taken for granted. We as citizens of the United States of America have the absolute right to express our opinions and protest the things that we believe are wrong. However, we should never forget that those freedoms have not come without some price that men and women have paid for and continue to pay for across the world . On this Veteran’s Day 2015 , The American Legion Post 56 would like to remind our fellow citizens that the everyday freedoms we enjoy are the direct result of someone stepping up and answering the call to duty and in some cases never to return to their beloved families and friends. This is not a political call to arms but a gentle reminder that no matter what your political views are- we are all still Americans and we hope you remember those who have served and continue to serve. Please remember what Veteran’s Day really is- the sacrifices made by others so that we can live our lives as we chose. The price of our freedoms was never free- someone else has already paid for them.
Cape Charles will hold a Veteran’s Day event at the War Memorial across from the Cape Charles Memorial Library at 11:00 Nov 11th.
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Very true and very well told Mr Vaccaro. Today’s military are also “the Greatest Generation” and they are so few in number with an overload of responsibilities. They and their families are sacrificing so much to keep us safe and free here at home.
Thank you Mr. Zahn.