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Transcript: Veterans Day Remarks

// November 11th, 2008 // Politics

Remarks as prepared for delivery to the Monahans High School Veterans Day Assembly on Tuesday by Matt Pippen:

First and foremost, today is a day about our veterans. These brave, bold, and courageous men and women in front of us today have taken up arms for our country; an experience that we will never be able to understand unless we make it ourselves. Please give them a round of applause. (Applause) However, just as important, are the men and women who are not with us in this room; those who gave the ultimate sacrifice – their life. It is their blood that stains the battlefields of war and wrote the pages of history books. Although they cannot be with us, please give these men and women a round of applause. (Applause) Let us always remember that these men and women gave a sacrifice so we may continue to live in a free and safe country with the opportunity to prosper like no other country on the face of this planet. The impact of these heroes can best be summed up in a common bumper sticker: “If You Can Read This Thank A Teacher. If You Can Read This In English Thank A Soldier!”

Fellow students, I now want to take an opportunity to talk to you about the importance of giving to our country. As John F. Kennedy said in his 1961 inaugural address, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” The heart and soul of America is found in those who do this. Despite what you might think, giving back can be done in a variety of ways.

The most obvious of these is serving in the military. All of us in this room know about serving as a defender of freedom through commercials on TV or recruiters on campus, but many have never considered giving back though the military. This path is not for everyone, but everyone should take a note from Theodore Roosevelt: “No man is worth his salt who is not ready at all times to risk his body, to risk his well being, to risk his life, in a great cause.”

A second way to give back is though national service. Those that feel military service is not an option for you, consider national service. Throughout history, people have felt the importance of serving a cause greater then themselves. Just look to Monahans High School for an example. Those in the band, do you feel proud that you pull together each year in the attempt to make something work that is greater then yourself? How about football. Do you cherish that feeling after a hard fought Friday night victory all to push the team, something greater then yourselves, to a new height? The factor that makes national service different then these is that the cause is human, and there is no greater cause then the human cause. All around the world, people are suffering from things such as AIDS, malnutrition, a lack of clean water, or even a way to produce food. Organizations such as Peace Corps will enable you to help these people escape these conditions – conditions that no human should have to endure. Even here in the United States, AmeriCorps serves as a way to affect others. Today, AmeriCorps leads community service efforts all around the country. It helps struggling youth, children learning to read, voter participation, and so much more that is vital to our countries ability to stand out as a world leader in the 21st century.

There is also one other great way to give back to your country. That is being an informed citizen. Take this as an example: Those of you who supported Barack Obama during this recent political election – why? If you supported John McCain – why? If you cannot answer beyond “He sounded good” then you have found a new way to give back to your country. Take it from Thomas Jefferson: “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” But it doesn’t end there. Just as important as being an informed citizen is being an active citizen. Vote on election day, start a blog, run for a political office, and express your educated opinion on important issues. Edmund Burke once said, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” If you don’t believe him, open a history book and look at how wars of tyranny and great oppression started.

Thank you for your attention. I truly hope that you consider one of the ways to give back, and just as important, I hope you remember the importance of our Veterans. Calvin Coolidge , a former U.S. President, best sums up what will happen the day we forget. “The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten.”

Thank you and may God continue to bless America and those who serve her.