Autumn has arrived. Soon there will be a flourish of activity all across America to prepare for Veteran’s Day celebrations.
I know what I’m doing for Veteran’s Day.
I’ll head down to the small cemetery where my father now lies. I’ll trim the grass and weeds that are trying to take over his headstone. Then I’ll clean the dirt from the lettering, so that all might see that he was an Army Sergeant during World War II.
I’ve listened to quite of few speeches given at Memorial Day and Veterans’ Day ceremonies. Usually an elected official is the speaker. I suppose it’s in their job description to give speeches. I’m glad I don’t have to give the speech. The task of writing and presenting a speech worthy of the selfless service and sacrifices of our war veterans is a great challenge.
It seems politicians just can’t resist the temptation to wrap their speech around their politics. For instance, when the city threw a “welcome home” ceremony for my son’s US Marine Reserve Battalion (The 3/25 Battalion, Brook Park, Ohio), A congresswoman warned the Iraq war veterans; “I hope your expectations are not too high…we still have a lot of work to do here.”
Was she telling my son not to expect too much from the nation that 37 men of his battalion had given their lives for? Was this an expression of her gratitude?
Then our congressman spoke. He seemed to be thanking the Marines for fighting a war that we had no business fighting. Thanks for your service, even if it was for a vain cause.
After hearing these speeches I have put some thought into who should be the speaker. I’d like to hear from someone with the wisdom of Benjamin Franklin, the nobility of Washington, the elegance of Webster, the Humor of Bob Hope, the simplicity of Lincoln and the compassion of a mother.
The speech should begin by describing how beautiful America is. Truly our land is unsurpassed in its many natural wonders. No other land has ever produced the bounty of earth as America has. I hope the speaker would then praise our forefathers who came to America in search of a better life. They pursued that goal with an intensity and passion that would enable them to bring freedom and prosperity to their children.
Then perhaps the speaker would lay down a foundation for the remainder of the speech to be built upon. He would talk about America’s values of freedom, liberty and equality. He would thank God for our right as individuals to be free from oppressive governments and show gratitude that our government is “of the people, by the people and for the people.”
Then the speaker would shift from America’s great values to it noble virtues; selfless service, self reliance, honor, love of God and country, but most importantly, courage. At this time it would be proper to speak of American heroes who exemplify these virtues. Americans such as, Nathaniel Hale, Clara Burton, and Col Lawrence Chamberlin would be mentioned. But as heart touching and inspiring as this orator might be, I want something more from them.
I would like my speaker to be someone who knows what it is like to spend sleepless nights worrying about a loved one serving in a combat zone. I want to know how may tears they shed upon hearing news that a neighbor’s son has just been killed or maimed. I’d expect the speaker to have spent many hours volunteering for the USO or the Red Cross to make life easier for our troops. Perhaps the speaker had to shrink away from a newspaper because the headline was just too painful.
I have some extra qualifications for politicians who might still be in the running as a speaker. I want to know if they changed their vote to support the war after committing our troops to fight in it. Have they done everything possible…. opened the treasury, cut red tape, forsaken pork barrel spending, and told our military leaders to “forget the cost , just buy whatever is needed to win the war.”
Did they tell those same leaders to pursue every advantage our technology, industry, and natural resources can provide to safeguard our troops and bring a swift and enduring victory? Did they ask Americans to make any sort of sacrifice of time or money to support the troops? Finally, the speaker should never have made apologies to returning warriors for their service or implied that America isn’t worth fighting for.
So who should be the speaker? I’m guessing it will be a soccer mom with a bumper sticker that reads, Proud Mother of a… Marine, Soldier, Airman, (take your pick). Who else would have the wisdom of Benjamin Franklin, the nobility of George Washington, the elegance of Daniel Webster, the humor of Bob Hope, the simplicity of Abraham Lincoln and the compassion of a mother, worthy of giving tribute to our veteran’s on this, their special day?