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A Call To Action: Honor Veterans This Memorial Day

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By GENE WHITFIELD

Special to the Tribune

Published: May 23, 2008

For several years, our business has been asked by the local veterans' council to put up tents for the annual Memorial Day remembrance ceremonies at Oakside Cemetery on First Street in Zephyrhills. We have always been glad to provide this small service to assist our veterans' groups.

A couple of years ago, they invited me to offer the welcome at the start of the ceremony, and I was honored to do so. The program offered there each year is sincere, patriotic and dignified.

As Americans, it seems that we must ask ourselves to stop for a few moments once a year and reflect on the incredible sacrifices the men and women of the armed services have given you and me. We may wish to consider taking Memorial Day and all it stands for very personally.

We enjoy the greatest, freest and most life-fulfilling nation in the world today, and in all of human history. We have claimed all this greatness in the blood, pain and heartaches of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines. No other single group of Americans - not clubs, politicians or presidents - has guaranteed these freedoms we enjoy.
Memorial Day is a day to remember those lost in all the wars in the history of our great struggle for freedom. While Memorial Day is set aside as a national holiday to remember those lost, all our veterans should be remembered, thanked and honored. They also deserve your handshakes and words of encouragement.

We are now engaged in two wars on lands far from home, wars that have worn on for over five years, and we Americans at home have been asked to do nothing. But we have again asked our brightest and finest to bear this harsh and traumatic burden for our country.

In years gone by, Americans were asked to sacrifice and support the war effort here at home. There is so much we can do. Yet, this time we were told to "go shopping." Now that's a real morale builder for our troops. We'll go shop, while you die.

Since it's been five years and our president has not asked one moment of sacrifice of you and me, then I will!

Each year, as our local former GIs meet to recognize and remember those lost, only themselves, their spouses and a handful of others come for the brief ceremony. It doesn't matter how "spit and polish" they are now; what matters is that these are our veterans. They faithfully remember those we have lost, and they have earned our attention.

Today, I call you to action - make a sacrifice for our country and our veterans. Come to the ceremonies and support these dedicated men and women.

I call on all veterans in Zephyrhills, the mayor and city council, clergy, churches, clubs, organizations, teachers, schools and all who consider themselves patriots, lovers of America.

I call on all who enjoy the sweet life they live in this beautiful and abundant community.

I call on all who will sacrifice an hour of your holiday to experience why we're having a holiday.

Bring a child. Teach them a little something about America, patriotism and sacrifice. Then go home and enjoy your holiday. Remember who made it possible.

Who am I to ask this of you? I am one of you, one who rarely speaks. But because of my passion for America and what these men and women have given, and because of our blessings, freedoms and abundance, I felt compelled to bring my heartfelt thoughts to action.

Please join me Monday at 10 a.m. at Oakside Cemetery on First Street. Those GIs need to see all of us there, and the graves of those lost will be honored by your presence. Show you support and demonstrate your patriotism for them.

We all need to take action to say we remember and support all our vets and those in the line of fire today. Just a small effort by all can renew the spirit in our hearts and rekindle a spirit of American pride.

May God bless you, and may God bless America!

The writer lives in Zephyrhills.

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