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Posted on 11/11/2001 3:23:52 AM PST by Snow Bunny
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Nothing symbolizes the VFW's pledge to "Honor the Dead by Helping the Living" like the Buddy Poppy.
Millions of these blood-red artificial flowers are made in this country each year by disabled veterans--disabled on the same battlefields on which their buddies were killed.
Yes, I think I will partake of a cookie & cup of hot java.
Plus, while I'm here, have myself a look at all the pretty gals, too. ;^)
Have a special Veterans Day my friend.
I moved my computer desk yesterday and found one of the only pictures I have of my Dad just before he went to Korea. Its a black and white photo and I thought of your intro photos for this page when I seen it. Daddy would have been a Freeper for sure!
I've been looking for this thing for over a year. (My wife already hit me with every joke in the book.)
I just kind of thought that it was fitting. I better hurry and get it scanned so I can put it away for safe keeping.
   In 1921, an unknown World War I American soldier was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. This site, on a hillside overlooking the Potomac River and the city of Washington, became the focal point of reverence for America's veterans.  Similar ceremonies occurred earlier in England and France, where an unknown soldier was buried in each nation's highest place of honor (in England, Westminster Abbey; in France, the Arc de Triomphe). These memorial gestures all took place on November 11, giving universal recognition to the celebrated ending of World War I fighting at 11 a.m., November 11, 1918 (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month). The day became known as "Armistice Day".Armistice Day officially received its name in America in 1926 through a Congressional resolution. It became a national holidiay 12 years later by similar Congressional action. If the idealistic hope had been realized that World War I was "the War to end all Wars," November 11 might still be called Armistice Day. But only a few years after the holiday was proclaimed, war broke out in Europe. Sixteen and one-half million Americans took part. Four hundred seven thousand of them died in service, more than 292,000 in battle. Realizing that peace was equally preserved by veterans of WW II and Korea, Congress was requested to make this day an occasion to honor those who have served America in all wars. In 1954 President Eisenhower signed a bill proclaiming November 11 as Veterans Day.  On Memorial Day 1958, two more unidentified American war dead were brought from overseas and interred in the plaza beside the unknown soldier of World War I. One was killed in World War II, the other in the Korean War. In 1973, a law passed providing interment of an unknown American from the Vietnam War, but none was found for several years. In 1984, an unknown serviceman from that conflict was placed alongside the others. To honor these men, symbolic of all Americans who gave their lives in all wars, an Army honor guard, The 3d U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard), keeps day and night vigil.A law passed in 1968 changed the national commemoration of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. It soon became apparent, however, that November 11 was a date of historic significance to many Americans. Therefore, in 1978 Congress returned the observance to its traditional date.  The focal point for official, national ceremonies for Veterans Day continues to be the memorial amphitheater built around the Tomb of the Unknowns. At 11 a.m. on November 11, a combined color guard representing all military services executes "Present Arms" at the tomb. The nation's tribute to its war dead is symbolized by the laying of a presidential wreath. The bugler plays "taps." The rest of the ceremony takes place in the amphitheater.Every year the President of the United States urges All Americans to honor the commitment of our Veterans through appropriate public ceremonies. Permission is given to reprint or republish this article. |
Billie has done a wonderful thing for ALL Veterans here at Free Republic, RightOnline had the idea for it and I added a little of the writing........ we would LOVE for you all to please visit the site
Good to see you.
Do your part to keep America's service men and women as PROUD OF AMERICA as we are of them.
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I FORGOT
The recent events of Tuesday, Sept. 11 have brought death and destruction and sadness to so many people around the world. But It DIDN'T HAVE TO BE! Why is it, that all of a sudden we come together as a nation? Why does it take a tragedy of this magnitude to show our solidarity? The pictures from TV of complete strangers hugging each other in the streets of NYC brought tears to my eyes! For one brief moment in time we were truly a nation of one! All racial / ethnic / religious barriers came down! Blacks and whites helping each other Jews and Christians hugging and coming together! Why are we not ALWAYS like this ???? And HOW could we, the strongest country in the world let this happen!
Simply because WE FORGOT! EXACTLY WHAT THE TERRORISTS WANTED!
With everything that is happening in America today, all the new gun laws that our socialist politicians are attempting to pass, the problems in Klamath Falls with the ESA wanting to protect fish instead of America's farmers, the UN kicking the US off of the Human Rights Council, the U.N. vote to add Syria as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, Agenda 21, the New World Order, and on and on. It's just too much to think about for one man.
WHEN OSAMA BIN LADEN: declared a holy war against the US, I thought, what an idiot, then, I FORGOT!
WHEN OSAMA BIN LADEN AND HIS BUDDY, HEZBOLLAH: attacked the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983 that killed 241 Americans, I thought This sucks! THEN I FORGOT
WHEN OSAMA BIN LADEN: bombed the Jewish cultural center in Argentina in 1994 that killed 95 people, I thought, oh my God this guy should be stopped! But then, I FORGOT!
WHEN OSAMA BIN LADEN: Bombed the World Trade center in 1993 (the first time), that killed 6 people and wounded over 1000, I thought to myself how horrible! Then, I FORGOT!
WHEN OSAMA BIN LADEN: Admitted to the 1995 bombing in Riyadh that killed 5 US servicemen, I thought, OH my God, what a tragedy! THEN I FORGOT!
WHEN OSAMA BIN LADEN: Had his terrorists attack the USS Cole (DDG-57) while it was refueling in port in Yemen on October 12, 2000. 17 sailors were killed and over 30 were injured in the bombing, I thought we need to stop these guys before they kill any more Americans. THEN I FORGOT!
WHEN OSAMA BIN LADEN: Was named in the June 25, 1996, terrorist truck bombing in Dhahran that killed 19 U.S. airmen, I was outraged! THEN I FORGOT!
WHEN OSAMA BIN LADEN: bombed the U.S. Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania in 1998, I thought it was so sad, then, I FORGOT!
WHEN OSAMA BIN LADEN: Was prevented from a plot to hijack 12 planes in one day in Algeria, and blow them up, I thought GREAT work FBI! THEN I FORGOT!
WHEN OSAMA BIN LADEN: This past February, renewed his threat of a "jihad" or holy war against the U.S. and, in speaking to an Arabic newspaper, bin Laden said, "We had thought that the Riyadh and al-Khobar blasts were a sufficient signal to sensible U.S. decision-makers to avert a real battle between the Islamic nation and U.S. forces, but it seems that they did not understand the signal." I thought to myself this guy must be stopped! THEN I FORGOT !
WHEN OSAMA BIN LADEN: Sent his "punk ass" henchmen to fly airplanes into the Word Trade Center, killing what will probably be over 10 thousand people, and THEN fly an airplane into the pentagon and kill (NO MURDER) someone so close to me, I PROMISE YOU, I WILL NOT FORGET!
NOW! ITS F*&%&$ing PERSONAL!
Please, Please, Please, if you are reading this, don't look away when they show the airplanes flying into the buildings on TV, look at it over and over again !! Don't stick your head in the sand! Remember how despicable the act was, remember the loss of life, don't shield your children, use restraint, but help them understand it, and remember it! They are our future! You will go back to work, and resume your daily duties, but, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, DON'T EVER FORGET!
I assure you the terrorists around the world are counting on us to! AGAIN! I fear the next time we will see a mushroom cloud on our beautiful horizon! Then it will be too late! All because WE FORGOT !
Maybe one of the reasons we won WW 2 , was because everyone.............................REMEMBERED PEARL HARBOR !
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There are American sailors and soldiers on ships, in aircraft and on the ground fighting to keep America safe. These servicemen and women don't want to be fighting the Afghans. They would much rather be home, like us with our families, our husbands, our boyfriends, our girlfriends, our wives and children. At night we sleep safely in our homes because of them.
President Bush is wrong! Don't go back to "life as normal"
Don't Forget who is protecting us, AMERICAN military troops!
Before you go to sleep, everynight, say a prayer that they will be able to avoid the dangers of WAR and come home to us, so that we may thank them.
All Americans:
Keep this picture in your mind forever and the attack on the World Trade Towers, the death of those men, women and children will stay personal forever! When you get a peacelover whining in your ear, this is the cure. Six posts from the left, in the middle of the picture you see someone holding an infant out of the building trying to give it fresh air. These folks are all dead now. Keep this atrocity personal forever! Do not listen to the whiners and weepers about the civilian casulties that our pilots accidentally cause. Remember foremost the six thousand plus civilians who died in the attack on the World Trade Center Towers. This terrorist attack was an intentional mass murder of innocent civilians. So tell Reuters or CNN can go somewhere else with their 'sad stories'!
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Take a look at a great PBS show that Clinton made sure we didn't see. Look at it with Real Player.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Today is Remembrance Day.
Wear a poppie.
Observe a minute's silence at 1100hrs.
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War has come to our shores. It was committed on American soil. We have been able to live in Freedom only because of those who have fought in the past wars giving life, limb and all the sacrifices for us to live in Freedom and go about our day without fear. 
This is the Freeper version of the USO Canteen. Where soldiers could come and feel a small part of being at home. It is a place where you that have family in the military can post a thought to a loved one that might be able to read it far away from home. A place where we that support our military can help support them, post to them, fun graphics showing the price in America and our troops. Poems, quotes, cartoons, or articles of how America is behind our troops.
