Next Sunday is a day that many people have forgotten about. It's sad really, and I think it's also one of the reasons our country is the way it is today. Now I have you wondering, don't I? It's December 7th - Pearl Harbor Day. I think the saddest part is that even saying "it's Pearl Harbor Day" gets a puzzled glance more often than not. It's tragic really, our generation has little to no interest in history. It seems people don't want to learn from history anymore, and it scares me to death. You know what they say - History repeats itself - and it's been proven time and again. We most likely will encounter things as a country in the coming years that could have been avoided if someone had just payed attention in History class. December 7th, 1941 proved that it can happen. We were "a nation asleep" and we payed heavily for it.
And so today I want to thank the approximately 16 million men and women who answered the call 67 years ago to defend their homeland. They truly "came to liberate, not to conquer, to restore freedom and to end tyranny".
I also want to thank all the history teachers (and those who are working to become one, Becci!) out there who have made history come alive for their students. You didn't have to choose the field you are in, but you did, and for that I'm grateful. For those of you who have children, or have contact with children, teach them to love history! They are the hope for our future, if you want them to live in a better world, this is the place to start.
So, in honor of December 7th I want to post a famous quote from WWII each day. These are from the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C. If they don't make you feel proud, awestruck, and thankful, nothing will.
HERE IN THE PRESENCE OF WASHINGTON AND LINCOLN, ONE THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY FATHER AND THE OTHER THE NINETEENTH CENTURY PRESERVER OF OUR NATION, WE HONOR THOSE TWENTIETH CENTURY AMERICANS WHO TOOK UP THE STRUGGLE DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR AND MADE THE SACRIFICES TO PERPETUATE THE GIFT OUR FOREFATHERS ENTRUSTED TO US:
A NATION CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
From the Announcement Stone at the entrance of the memorial.
No comments:
Post a Comment