THANK YOU!
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| Credits |
Although honestly, our veterans hear that every day, especially today. Truthfully, I bet it's the same thing over and over again. People saying thanks, just thanks. Never showing true displays of gratitude. Even if they tried, they couldn't give back to the veterans what the veterans gave up for us. When they come back home they have seen the true meaning of war, not glory and fighting for a country. The opposite of that, or at least I assume. We send our soldiers out there, telling them what they're fighting for, showing them movie clips of what they're fighting for, the politicians support and encourage them. Truly when they get out there, nothing is how we display it. They see instead starving families, poverty stricken countries, decimated land, and probably worse. When they arrive in these war-ruined countries they are no longer fighting for what they have been told to fight for. Fight for our politicians, president, people. Rather they are fighting for justice. They have truly entered the world when they step out on that field and give their lives just so that we may have ours. We "express" our gratitude, but truly we will never be able to thank them. They in a sense have "thanked" themselves, by giving us a country, and giving the world justice. It's like Abraham Lincoln said, all those years ago out in Gettysburg, "we can not dedicate –– we can not consecrate –– we can not hallow –– this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here."(Credits) Lincoln got it right the first time, the soldiers have already done what we cannot. The world will always remember their deeds, that's how they should be thanked. By being remembered.
Well for starters, we had an assembly on Friday, November 8th. We of course thanked the veterans, handed out patriotism awards, even awarded a few students for writing an essay or drawing a poster. It was the Patriotism Award. If I had known I would've of course entered, however I didn't. One veteran gave a presentation on what he did, and what some others have done. Five minutes before the bell rang students started to get up, conversing even though the veteran was still presenting his speech. Don't worry I didn't stand, I knew not too. As well as the fact that I wanted to hear his entire presentation and could afford to stay a little bit later than majority of the other students. I could tell, once we were dismissed, that the veterans were exasperated and just fed up with being there. They could see that some of the students didn't care, and that they have had to deal with this in the past. They were done with it, well at least that's how I perceived it. I tried to say thanks to a few as I walked out, but I doubt they heard over all the voices of idiotic 8th and 9th graders. Honestly, I'm ashamed to say that I went to that assembly, the disrespect that my fellow peers displayed was disgraceful. So if you're reading this and you go to my school, even if you were just doing what everyone was doing, know how disgraceful that was. It was just sad and pathetic. That you couldn't wait at least ten minutes to let a veteran finish his story, the veteran that put their life on the line so that you may have yours. Just try and let that sink in.
Maybe it just hits home for me. My grandfather on m mom's side was in the air-force, he fought for our country! I enjoy listening to his stories, and am proud to call him my grandfather! My dad's grandfather fought in the dutch resistance in WW II, along with my grandmother's brother. Both were taken by the Nazi's to concentration camps and eventually shot. I hear this story all the time, my parents make sure I take nothing for granted. I try not to, for I hear stories of a life where there isn't enough food to go around, not enough comfort. I also grew up near Washington D.C, so maybe I also have a different perspective. As well as a higher standard. So I'm grateful.
So I did my own little part of contribution, I painted a sign and hung it up on a bridge over the main road. Unfortunately, I don't believe we used the right materials, so it may not have shown up as well as I had imagined. That greatly saddens me, but it the thought that counts. Right????
Anyway, what do I know? I'm just a privileged kid who grew up in D.C, moved to a ski town, and now gets to ski whenever I want. Just remember, I do care.
So Thank You to all the Veterans!!!!!!!
