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Editorials - 11/08/01With country at war, let's all observe spirit of Veterans Day |
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Sunday is the day set aside to remember and honor those who have served in our country's armed services in order to defend our borders and protect our freedom.
Veterans Day feels a little different this year, after the terrorist attacks two months ago that shattered our complacency and brought patriotism to the forefront of everyday life. We have troops in the Middle East, and our country is caught up in a new kind of fight - one where the enemy hides in caves and hijacks our own commercial airlines to provide the firepower for acts of war. As we prepare for the first Veterans Day of a new century, we're a country on perpetual alert. We find ourselves caught between our lingering shock and horror from Sept. 11, and our continued uneasiness in the wake of death and illness from anthrax-contaminated mail. In one sense, our renewed understanding and appreciation of the values we hold dear, the ones many of us have always taken for granted, has led to an even greater reverence for our veterans - the ones who are responsible for protecting and preserving our American way of life. Our veterans, living and dead, paved the way for the greatest democracy the world has ever known: 226 years; 60 military campaigns; 1.4 million lives lost. Veterans, more than any other Americans, know that freedom isn't free. It's bought with blood, and it's paid for by citizens who love their country above all else. Fifty years ago, just as today, American troops were on foreign soil, fighting for freedom. Some 5.7 American men and women served in the Korean conflict, with 54,000 making the ultimate sacrifice. That war began in 1950 and ended in 1953, though a formal peace treaty has never been signed. Our country's war on terrorism began Sunday, Oct. 7, when U.S. and British planes began dropping bombs on Taliban-controlled areas of Afghanistan. While none of us know when this battle will be over, we do know U.S. forces will fight bravely and conduct themselves with honor. Sunday is Veterans Day, and several events are planned around the county; details are on page 5C. Start the day off right by thanking members of your own family who either serve or have served in the armed forces. Then bid a "happy Veterans Day" to others who are, or were, a part of this brave legacy of freedom. American troops have never let us down. And they never will. We honor them all. |
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