[NFBNJ] Memorial Day Reflections

Fri May 24 11:57:51 UTC 2019

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!

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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.

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

**

God Bless The USA

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       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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