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<br>
Greetings to all!<br>
Hoping all will remember the true meaning of Memorial Day.<br>
While you enjoy your grilled burgers, hotdogs, shopping at the mmall or
via <br>
the internet, please take time to read and share the following.<br>
For some, you have received most of the following before however, I have
<br>
provided additional new information.<br>
Remember those that made, are making and for those that will
continue to <br>
make the sacrifice for our freedom!<br>
<br>
Joe Ruffalo, President<br>
national Federation of the Blind of New Jersey<br>
973 743 0075<br>
nfbnj1@verizon.net<br>
<a href="http://www.nfbnj.org/" eudora="autourl">www.nfbnj.org<br>
</a> <br>
***<br>
<br>
<br>
The National Association of Blind Veterans honor all our Armed Forces
<br>
members who have perished serving our Great Nation and its
Citizens.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Memorial Day, an American holiday observed on the last Monday of May,
honors <br>
men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Originally
known <br>
as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and
<br>
became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe
Memorial <br>
Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings.<br>
<br>
God Bless You All!<br>
<br>
Dwight Sayer, President<br>
<br>
National Association of Blind Veterans<br>
<br>
a proud division of the National Federation of the Blind<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
****<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Veterans poem<br>
<br>
It’s the veteran<br>
<br>
not the preacher<br>
<br>
Who has given us the freedom of religion.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
It’s the veteran<br>
<br>
Not the reporter<br>
<br>
Who has given us the freedom of the press.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
It’s the veteran<br>
<br>
Not the poet<br>
<br>
Who has given us the freedom of speech.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
It’s the veteran<br>
<br>
Not the campus organizer<br>
<br>
Who has given us the freedom to assemble.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
It’s the veteran<br>
<br>
Not the lawyer<br>
<br>
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
It’s the veteran<br>
<br>
Not the politician<br>
<br>
Who has given us the right to vote.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
It’s the veteran who honors the flag<br>
<br>
It’s the veteran who serves under the flag<br>
<br>
No matter where they serve,<br>
<br>
God Bless Them All!<br>
<br>
God Bless America!<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz_js_aMaV0">
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz_js_aMaV0</a><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
**<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
God Bless The USA<br>
<br>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/embed/daqwGRdRIsk?feature=player_detailpage">
https://www.youtube.com/embed/daqwGRdRIsk?feature=player_detailpage</a>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Frank Sinatra considered Kate Smith the best singer of her time, and said
<br>
that when he and a million other guys first heard her sing "God
Bless <br>
America" on the radio, they all pretended to have dust in their eyes
as they <br>
wiped away a tear or two. Here are the facts... The link at the
bottom will <br>
take you to a video showing the very first public singing of "GOD
BLESS <br>
AMERICA". But before you watch it, you should also know the story
behind the <br>
first public showing of the song. The time was 1940. America was
still in a <br>
terrible economic depression. Hitler was taking over Europe, and
Americans <br>
were afraid we'd have to go to war. It was a time of hardship and worry
for <br>
most Americans. This was the era just before TV, when radio shows
were <br>
HUGE, and American families sat around their radios in the evenings,
<br>
listening to their favorite entertainers, and no entertainer of that era
was <br>
bigger than Kate Smith. Kate was also large; plus size, as we now
say, and <br>
the popular phrase still used today is in deference to her, "It
ain't over <br>
till the fat lady sings". Kate Smith might not have made it
big in the age <br>
of TV because of her size and appearance, but with her voice coming over
the <br>
radio, she was the biggest star of her time. Back then, music was more
<br>
important than appearance or the “program”. Kate was also patriotic.
It hurt <br>
her to see Americans so depressed and afraid of what the next day would
<br>
bring. She had hope for America and faith in her fellow Americans. She
<br>
wanted to do something to cheer them up, so she went to the famous
American <br>
song-writer, Irving Berlin (who also wrote "White Christmas")
and asked him <br>
to write a song that would make Americans feel good again about their
<br>
country.When she described what she was looking for, he said he had just
the <br>
song for her. He went to his files and found a song that he had written
but <br>
never published, 22 years before -- way back in 1917. He gave it to her
and <br>
she worked on it with her studio orchestra. She and Irving Berlin were
not <br>
sure how the song would be received by the public, but both agreed they
<br>
would not take any profits from “God Bless America”. Any profits
would go to <br>
the Boy Scouts of America. Over the years, the Boy Scouts have received
<br>
millions of dollars in royalties from this song. This video starts
out with <br>
Kate Smith coming into the radio studio with the orchestra and an
audience. <br>
She introduces the new song for the very first time and starts singing.
<br>
After the first couple verses, with her voice in the background still
<br>
singing, scenes are shown from the 1940 movie, "You're In the Army
Now." At <br>
the 4:20 mark of the video you see a young actor in the movie, sitting in
an <br>
office, reading a paper: it's Ronald Reagan. To this day, “God
Bless <br>
America” stirs our patriotic feelings and pride in our country. Back
in<br>
1940, when Kate Smith went looking for a song to raise the spirits of her
<br>
fellow Americans, I doubt whether she realized just how successful the
<br>
results would be for her fellow Americans during those years of hardship
and <br>
worry..... And for many generations of Americans to follow. It has been
<br>
suggested that this song replace the “Star-Spangled Banner” as our
national <br>
anthem because it’s easier to sing, and most folks already know the
words.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Now that you know the story of the song, I hope you'll enjoy it. Many
people <br>
don't know there's a lead in to the song since it usually starts with
“God <br>
Bless America“....." So, here's the entire song as originally
sung..... <br>
ENJOY!<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TnQDW-NMaRs?rel=0">
https://www.youtube.com/embed/TnQDW-NMaRs?rel=0</a>
Virus-<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
****<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
ARLINGTON CEMETERY<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
This is really an awesome sight to watch if you've never had the
chance.<br>
<br>
Fascinating. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
1.How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of
the <br>
Unknown Soldier and why?<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
21 steps:<br>
<br>
It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute which is the highest honor given
any <br>
military or foreign dignitary.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
2. How long does he hesitate after his about face<br>
<br>
to begin his return walk and why?<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
21 seconds for the same reason<br>
<br>
as answer number 1.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
3. hy are his gloves wet?<br>
<br>
His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the
rifle.<br>
<br>
4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the time and, if not,
<br>
why not?<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After his march
<br>
across the path, he executes an about face and moves the rifle to the
<br>
outside shoulder.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
5. How often are the guards changed?<br>
<br>
Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365
days a <br>
year.<br>
<br>
6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to?<br>
<br>
For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be between 5'
10' <br>
and 6' 2' tall and his waist size cannot exceed 30".<br>
<br>
They must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks
under <br>
the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of
their <br>
lives. They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives and cannot
<br>
disgrace the uniform or the tomb in any way.<br>
<br>
After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their
lapel <br>
signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only 400 presently
<br>
worn. The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give
up <br>
the wreath pin.<br>
<br>
The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat and
cold <br>
from their feet.<br>
<br>
There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order
to <br>
make the loud click as they come to a halt.<br>
<br>
There are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Guards dress for
duty <br>
in front of a full-length mirror.<br>
<br>
The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone nor watch
TV.<br>
<br>
All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest
in <br>
Arlington National Cemetery.<br>
<br>
A guard must memorize who they are and where they are interred. Among the
<br>
notables are: President Taft, Joe Lewis {the boxer} Medal of Honor winner
<br>
Audie L. Murphy, the most decorated soldier of WWII and of Hollywood
fame.<br>
<br>
Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard
<br>
duty.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON
THEM.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington, DC, our US
<br>
Senate/House took 2 days off with anticipation of the storm. On the ABC
<br>
evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the <br>
hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of
<br>
the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They
<br>
respectfully declined the offer, "No way,<br>
<br>
Sir!" Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical
storm, <br>
they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment,<br>
<br>
it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a service person.
The <br>
tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
God Bless and keep them..<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Submitted by, Debbie Azzarone, Vision Loss Alliance, editor, Blind Vine
.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
**<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The following was written by Natasha ishaq, an Employment
Development <br>
Engagement Guidance, EDGE, program blind high school student.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Heroes: A Tribute To Those Who Sacrifice Themselves For Others<br>
By Natasha Ishaq<br>
<br>
You venture to the lands beyond<br>
To the seas that shall forever stand strong<br>
Living as legends<br>
Dying as heroes<br>
<br>
Out on those battlefields<br>
You serve as our shields<br>
Bearing those great burdens of pain<br>
Through sunshine and through rain<br>
<br>
When the homes burn down<br>
And we all weep<br>
When the bombs explode<br>
And we all loose sleep<br>
<br>
Our prayers are with you<br>
Because we want you to be safe too<br>
For you are out there sacrificing yourself<br>
Saving the lives of others, as it is not one man for himself<br>
<br>
Where you go and what you do<br>
You are always pushing through<br>
All the war zones of blood and death<br>
Where you struggled to catch your breath<br>
<br>
Up in the air you fly<br>
Through the hard-blowing winds that sigh<br>
But come down to respond to the injured ones who cry<br>
Calming them down as their tears begin to dry<br>
<br>
Living on the sea<br>
Because an unknown face needed help to be free<br>
Riding the ocean waves<br>
In order for all those who are lost to be saved<br>
<br>
From the shooting guns<br>
To the many runs<br>
To the child who is dying<br>
You carry them away from harm, even though inside crying<br>
<br>
Out there where piercing screams slice the air<br>
Out there where the dirt and mud of the earth cling to the clothes you
wear<br>
Out there where the arms of death may embrace you at any given time<br>
Out there is where you fight for us while we wait to hear the chime<br>
<br>
The chime telling us that the streets you roam<br>
Will become the ones of your home<br>
The chime telling us that the battle is done<br>
And your journey home has just begun<br>
<br>
You venture to the lands beyond<br>
To the seas that shall forever stand strong<br>
Living as legends<br>
Dying as heroes<br>
<br>
To all of those who serve our country--soldiers, veterans,<br>
firefighters, physicians, rescue teams, police officers--all of you who
put<br>
the lives of others before you in times of great catastrophe, I thank
you<br>
all. Whether you roam the streets today, or rest at last in peace,
your<br>
efforts and sacrifices are the marks that are forever engraved in the
world<br>
that shall forever remember you, as your simple but complicated acts
of<br>
extreme kindness and compassion speak for themselves.<br>
<br>
Sincerely,<br>
Cadet Private Natasha Ishaq<br>
<br>
<br><br>
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