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• Thursday, November 11, 2021

  Veterans’ Day Reminds Us: Freedom Is Not Free

  Every year in November we gather to honor our military veterans. We honor their sacrifices, and the sacrifices their families had to make, too. We honor veterans from throughout the history of our country.
   
  And one phrase always comes to mind: Freedom is not free. In a way it haunts me… because it’s a concept that is easy to forget when we’re enjoying the freedoms we have come to expect and don’t even think about during times of peace, and in our hectic daily family and work lives.
   
  Our founding fathers knew the price it would take to establish a country with a Bill of Rights and Constitution that guaranteed our rights and freedoms. They knew that our founding documents, our guaranteed rights and freedoms, are what would make America exceptional.

  Down through history we had to be reminded of what it takes to protect our way of life. It happened when Pearl Harbor was attacked, thrusting us into a world war against dictators. It happened again when terrorists flew airliners into the Twin Towers and Pentagon (and thankfully they came up short of their third target when passengers fought back and the plane crashed into the Pennsylvania countryside). We knew in our hearts that freedom is not free.
   
  So many of our men and women joined the war on terror. Too many paid the ultimate sacrifice; too many returned with scars both physical and emotional.
   
  And so on Veterans’ Day we honor them, and we honor all who served.
   
  Originally called Armistice Day, it occurs on November 11, with many ceremonies starting at 11 a.m., in recognition of the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month”  that signaled the end of World War I in 1918
   
  Let’s pray that a Veterans’ Day not so far off will signal the end of all war.
   
  God bless you, God bless America. Thank you for your service!
   
  Frank LaMarsh
  Commander
  The American Legion Department of New York