[Community-service] Fwd: [Nfbnet-members-list] Memorial Day Reflections

[Jeanetta price]

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

> From: joe ruffalo via NFBNet-Members-List <nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org>
> Date: May 24, 2019 at 8:17:03 PM CDT
> To: nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [Nfbnet-members-list] Memorial Day Reflections
> Reply-To: joe ruffalo <nfbnj1 at verizon.net>
> 
> 
> **
> Greetings to all!
> For the past several years, I have forwarded the following reflections on
> Memorial Day.
> Please read through and hoping you will share with others.
> Warmly,
> Joe
> 
> We care. We share. We grow. We make a difference
> Joe Ruffalo, President
> National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey
> 973 743 0075
> nfbnj1 at verizon.net
> www.nfbnj.org
> Raising Expectations To Live The Life You Want!
> 
> Your old car keys can be keys to literacy for the blind.
> Donate your unwanted vehicle to us by clicking
> www.carshelpingtheblind.org
> or call 855 659 9314
> 
> ****
> Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years
> following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many
> Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding
> family gatherings. God Bless You All!
> 
> ****
> 
> 
> 
> Memorial Day Opinion Article
> 
> 
> 
> Written by a Navy SEAL, so I think we should listen. Listen not because he's
> a famous Navy SEAL, but because he's a member of our Armed Forces, and along
> with all those men and women who've more than earned our respect and our
> ear, this day should belong to them.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --------------
> 
> 
> 
> Opinion: SEAL who shot bin Laden: Don't wish me a happy Memorial Day
> 
> 
> 
> Don't wish me a happy Memorial Day. There is nothing happy about the loss of
> the brave men and women of our armed forces who died in combat defending
> America. Memorial Day is not a celebration.
> 
> 
> 
> Memorial Day is a time for reflection, pause, remembrance and thanksgiving
> for patriots who gave up their own lives to protect the lives and freedom of
> us all - including the freedom of generations long gone and generations yet
> unborn. We owe the fallen a debt so enormous that it can never be repaid.
> 
> 
> 
> Memorial Day is a time to honor the lives of those who would rather die than
> take a knee when our national anthem is played. But they will fight and die
> for the rights of those who kneel.
> 
> 
> 
> This holiday is a time to think of young lives cut short, of wives and
> husbands turned into widows and widowers, of children growing up without a
> father or mother, of parents burying their children.
> 
> 
> 
> Memorial Day is a time to think of might have beens that never were. Of
> brave Americans who put their country before themselves. Without these
> heroes, America would not be America.
> 
> 
> 
> Unfortunately, for many Americans this solemn holiday might as well be
> called Summer Day - marking the unofficial start of the season of barbecues,
> 
> days at the beach, time spent on baseball fields and golf courses, hiking
> 
> and enjoying the great the outdoors. All those things are great - we all
> appreciate them and they are some of the best things in life.
> 
> 
> 
> But Memorial Day is not Summer Day. Nor was the holiday created as a way to
> promote sales of cars, furniture or clothes.
> 
> 
> 
> Another Memorial Day brings with it a whole lot more than the start of
> summer. Since last Memorial Day, grass is now growing above the final
> resting places of many young men and women whose lives were taken too soon
> while defending our country in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and other far-off
> places many Americans have rarely heard of.
> 
> 
> 
> When Army Sgt. La David Johnson, Staff Sgt. Bryan Black, Sgt. 1st Class
> 
> Jeremiah Johnson and Staff Sgt. Dustin Wright were killed last October in an
> ISIS ambush in Niger, many Americans asked: We have troops in Niger? These
> 
> unknown soldiers lost their lives protecting you - every one of you reading
> these words.
> 
> 
> 
> Think about this: Millions of high-school seniors are walking across
> auditorium stages this season, receiving their diplomas. Most will go on to
> college or jobs, but some will choose a career of military service, joining
> the second generation of American warriors fighting in the Global War on
> Terror - a war that began with the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks that
> 
> took the lives of almost 3,000 people in our homeland.
> 
> Most of these new recruits - who were not even born or who were just infants
> when the 9/11 attacks took place - will make it home just fine. But some
> will not. I pray that I am wrong, but the sad truth is that the number of
> American war dead on Memorial Day in 2019 will be higher than it is on this
> Memorial Day.
> 
> 
> 
> On Memorial Day, I salute my brothers and sisters-in-arms who have served
> beside me in War on Terror. My heart especially goes out to the families of
> those who did not return home. In fact, I think about all those who served
> 
> and those who have given their lives fighting for America from our country's
> earliest days in the Revolutionary War. They all have my gratitude.
> 
> 
> 
> We think we are strong, but in war any of us can be turned into just a
> memory in an instant. And war seems to have been the universal experience of
> just about every society on the planet at one time or another, for as long
> 
> as there have been human societies.
> 
> How do we stop the wars resulting in such tragic waste of lives? How do we
> stop the number of American war dead and war dead in other nations from
> growing? I wish I knew the answer. But battle lines are being drawn and
> redrawn, and wars and terrorist attacks just keep going on and on. Weapons
> 
> are getting bigger. Bombs are becoming smarter and more lives are being lost
> every day all over the world, leading to more death, more anger and more
> war.
> 
> 
> 
> Some are so loyal to their cause that they strap bombs on their bodies or
> fly passenger jets into buildings. They conduct beheadings. They set
> prisoners on fire. How do we find common ground with them? Do we even try to
> find common ground, or do we finally take the gloves off and start landing
> punches intended to take our enemy out for good?
> 
> 
> 
> I've been on over 400 Army combat missions and have seen more war than most
> Americans. More than I care to remember, but cannot forget. There is never a
> shortage of war. War spreads faster than fire and like fire it leaves
> destruction in its wake.
> 
> 
> 
> It hurts my heart as an American every time I see another service member's
> body being brought home draped in an American flag. But it hurts my heart as
> a human being with every act of war we are all unleashing against each other
> around the world.
> 
> 
> 
> This Memorial Day, I urge all Americans to remember all the fallen sailors,
> soldiers, airmen, Marines and Coast Guard members who have so bravely served
> our country, as well as their families.
> 
> 
> 
> And I urge all Americans to join me in the hope and prayer that somehow,
> someday people around the world will focus more on our similarities than our
> differences and that we will move closer to a time when war is just a memory
> 
> - part of our past but not our future.
> 
> 
> 
> Robert O'Neill is a Fox News contributor and ex-Navy SEAL best known as "the
> man who killed Usama bin Laden." O'Neill joined the Navy in 1996 and
> deployed as a SEAL more than a dozen times, participating in more than 400
> combat missions across four different theaters of war.
> 
> 
> 
> C2018 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved.
> 
> 
> 
> Veterans poem
> 
> It???s the veteran
> 
> not the preacher
> 
> Who has given us the freedom of religion.
> 
> 
> 
> It???s the veteran
> 
> Not the reporter
> 
> Who has given us the freedom of the press.
> 
> 
> 
> It???s the veteran
> 
> Not the poet
> 
> Who has given us the freedom of speech.
> 
> 
> 
> It???s the veteran
> 
> Not the campus organizer
> 
> Who has given us the freedom to assemble.
> 
> 
> 
> It???s the veteran
> 
> Not the lawyer
> 
> Who has given us the right to a fair trial.
> 
> 
> 
> It???s the veteran
> 
> Not the politician
> 
> Who has given us the right to vote.
> 
> 
> 
> It???s the veteran who honors the flag
> 
> It???s the veteran who serves under the flag
> 
> No matter where they serve,
> 
> God Bless Them All!
> 
> God Bless America!
> 
> 
> 
> <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz_js_aMaV0>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz_js_aMaV0
> 
> 
> 
> **
> 
> 
> 
> God Bless The USA
> 
> <https://www.youtube.com/embed/daqwGRdRIsk?feature=player_detailpage>https://www.youtube.com/embed/daqwGRdRIsk?feature=player_detailpage
> 
> 
> 
> Frank Sinatra considered Kate Smith the best singer of her time, and said
> that when he and a million other guys first heard her sing "God Bless
> America" on the radio, they all pretended to have dust in their eyes as they
> wiped away a tear or two.  Here are the facts... The link at the bottom will
> take you to a video showing the very first public singing of "GOD BLESS
> AMERICA". But before you watch it, you should also know the story behind the
> first public showing of the song.  The time was 1940. America was still in a
> terrible economic depression. Hitler was taking over Europe, and Americans
> were afraid we'd have to go to war. It was a time of hardship and worry for
> most Americans.  This was the era just before TV, when radio shows were
> HUGE, and American families sat around their radios in the evenings,
> listening to their favorite entertainers, and no entertainer of that era was
> bigger than Kate Smith.  Kate was also large; plus size, as we now say, and
> the popular phrase still used today is in deference to her, "It ain't over
> till the fat lady sings".  Kate Smith might not have made it big in the age
> of TV because of her size and appearance, but with her voice coming over the
> radio, she was the biggest star of her time. Back then, music was more
> important than appearance or the ???program???. Kate was also patriotic. It hurt
> her to see Americans so depressed and afraid of what the next day would
> bring. She had hope for America and faith in her fellow Americans. She
> wanted to do something to cheer them up, so she went to the famous American
> song-writer, Irving Berlin (who also wrote "White Christmas") and asked him
> to write a song that would make Americans feel good again about their
> country.When she described what she was looking for, he said he had just the
> song for her. He went to his files and found a song that he had written but
> never published, 22 years before -- way back in 1917. He gave it to her and
> she worked on it with her studio orchestra. She and Irving Berlin were not
> sure how the song would be received by the public, but both agreed they
> would not take any profits from ???God Bless America???. Any profits would go to
> the Boy Scouts of America. Over the years, the Boy Scouts have received
> millions of dollars in royalties from this song.  This video starts out with
> Kate Smith coming into the radio studio with the orchestra and an audience.
> She introduces the new song for the very first time and starts singing.
> After the first couple verses, with her voice in the background still
> singing, scenes are shown from the 1940 movie, "You're In the Army Now." At
> the 4:20 mark of the video you see a young actor in the movie, sitting in an
> office, reading a paper: it's Ronald Reagan.  To this day, ???God Bless
> America??? stirs our patriotic feelings and pride in our country. Back in
> 1940, when Kate Smith went looking for a song to raise the spirits of her
> fellow Americans, I doubt whether she realized just how successful the
> results would be for her fellow Americans during those years of hardship and
> worry..... And for many generations of Americans to follow. It has been
> suggested that this song replace the ???Star-Spangled Banner??? as our national
> anthem because it???s easier to sing, and most folks already know the words.
> 
> 
> 
> Now that you know the story of the song, I hope you'll enjoy it. Many people
> don't know there's a lead in to the song since it usually starts with ???God
> Bless America???....." So, here's the entire song as originally sung.....
> ENJOY!
> 
> 
> 
> <https://www.youtube.com/embed/TnQDW-NMaRs?rel=0>https://www.youtube.com/embed/TnQDW-NMaRs?rel=0 Virus-
> 
> 
> 
> ****
> 
> 
> 
> ARLINGTON CEMETERY
> 
> 
> 
> This is really an awesome sight to watch if you've never had the chance.
> 
> Fascinating. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
> 
> 
> 
> 1.How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the
> Unknown Soldier and why?
> 
> 
> 
> 21 steps:
> 
> It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute which is the highest honor given any
> military or foreign dignitary.
> 
> 
> 
> 2. How long does he hesitate after his about face
> 
> to begin his return walk and why?
> 
> 
> 
> 21 seconds for the same reason
> 
> as answer number 1.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 3. hy are his gloves wet?
> 
> His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle.
> 
> 4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the time and, if not,
> why not?
> 
> 
> 
> He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After his march
> across the path, he executes an about face and moves the rifle to the
> outside shoulder.
> 
> 
> 
> 5. How often are the guards changed?
> 
> Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a
> year.
> 
> 6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to?
> 
> For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be between 5' 10'
> and 6' 2' tall and his waist size cannot exceed 30".
> 
> They must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under
> the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their
> lives. They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives and cannot
> disgrace the uniform or the tomb in any way.
> 
> After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel
> signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only 400 presently
> worn. The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give up
> the wreath pin.
> 
> The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat and cold
> from their feet.
> 
> There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to
> make the loud click as they come to a halt.
> 
> There are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Guards dress for duty
> in front of a full-length mirror.
> 
> The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone nor watch TV.
> 
> All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest in
> Arlington National Cemetery.
> 
> A guard must memorize who they are and where they are interred. Among the
> notables are: President Taft, Joe Lewis {the boxer} Medal of Honor winner
> Audie L. Murphy, the most decorated soldier of WWII and of Hollywood fame.
> 
> Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard
> duty.
> 
> 
> 
> ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.
> 
> 
> 
> In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington, DC, our US
> Senate/House took 2 days off with anticipation of the storm. On the ABC
> evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the
> hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of
> the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They
> respectfully declined the offer, "No way,
> 
> Sir!" Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm,
> they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment,
> 
>  it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a service person. The
> tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930.
> 
> 
> 
> God Bless and keep them..
> 
> 
> 
> Submitted by, Debbie Azzarone, Vision Loss Alliance, editor, Blind Vine .
> 
> 
> 
> **
> 
> 
> 
> The following was written by Natasha ishaq,  an Employment Development
> Engagement Guidance, EDGE, program blind high school student.
> 
> 
> 
> Heroes: A Tribute To Those Who Sacrifice Themselves For Others
> By Natasha Ishaq
> 
> You venture to the lands beyond
> To the seas that shall forever stand strong
> Living as legends Dying as heroes
> Out on those battlefields You serve as our shields
> Bearing those great burdens of pain
> Through sunshine and through rain
> 
> When the homes burn down
> And we all weep
> When the bombs explode
> And we all loose sleep
> 
> Our prayers are with you
> Because we want you to be safe too
> For you are out there sacrificing yourself
> Saving the lives of others, as it is not one man for himself
> 
> Where you go and what you do
> You are always pushing through
> All the war zones of blood and death
> Where you struggled to catch your breath
> 
> Up in the air you fly
> Through the hard-blowing winds that sigh
> But come down to respond to the injured ones who cry
> Calming them down as their tears begin to dry
> 
> Living on the sea
> Because an unknown face needed help to be free
> Riding the ocean waves
> In order for all those who are lost to be saved
> 
> From the shooting guns
> To the many runs
> To the child who is dying
> You carry them away from harm, even though inside crying
> 
> Out there where piercing screams slice the air
> Out there where the dirt and mud of the earth cling to the clothes you wear
> Out there where the arms of death may embrace you at any given time
> Out there is where you fight for us while we wait to hear the chime
> 
> The chime telling us that the streets you roam
> Will become the ones of your home
> The chime telling us that the battle is done
> And your journey home has just begun
> 
> You venture to the lands beyond
> To the seas that shall forever stand strong
> Living as legends
> Dying as heroes
> 
> To all of those who serve our country--soldiers, veterans,
> firefighters, physicians, rescue teams, police officers--all of you who put
> the lives of others before you in times of great catastrophe, I thank you
> all. Whether you roam the streets today, or rest at last in peace, your
> efforts and sacrifices are the marks that are forever engraved in the world
> that shall forever remember you, as your simple but complicated acts of
> extreme kindness and compassion speak for themselves.
> 
> Sincerely,
> Cadet Private Natasha Ishaq
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ---
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