There are many things in our daily lives that we take for granted. Besides our own families, perhaps the the thing that most of us take for granted is the freedom that we enjoy in the United States of America. Unless you have seen the alternative, freedom and our life in the United States can easily be considered normal. Unless you have seen a starving child walking the sidewalks in Sicily, picking up cigarette butts which they will then salvage the tobacco and sell it to a tobacco shop for a few cents. Unless you have seen a young boy working the streets in Naples, Italy by "pimping out" his younger sister or mother in order that their family can buy food, it is easy for us as Americans to complain about the price of milk. Unless you have seen children of all ages in Alongapo City, Philippines diving from dug out boats into a river filled with human waste to retrieve a peso that is tossed into the river by passer by. The few pesos they can retrieve will buy food for thier families, in America we will not stoop to pick up a coin.
Some Americans feel that they have the freedom to desecrate our flag, protest our military servicemen and women, demonstrating to the world everything that is wrong with America, at least in their eyes. Their voices, regardless of how many Americans it may hurt, are heard because that is the freedom that we enjoy.
To my own grandchildren and great grandchildren, love your America and stand up for it, even if it is against your "cool" friends or even teachers. America will protect you in the same manner as your loving parents protect you. Do not take your freedoms for granted, you enjoy the same freedoms as every American. Additional freedoms come with age, protect them because they are priceless and they have been paid for in blood. Although, they are unknown by you, many men and women have went to war to protect the freedoms that we enjoy today. Each of you have an expanded family, however, just on the Harrington side of the family you have had relatives involved in the Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War I, World War II, Koren War, Vietnam War, and currently in Iraq. They have fought for your freedoms, don't take them for granted and protect them. They are gifts to you from your ancestors.
Today, the President of the United States met with a gentleman by the name of Buckles. He is one of those unknown hero's that protected your freedoms. He enlisted into the United States Army in 1917 and defended the United States in World War I. He was not a General or a war hero, he was a survivor, following the war he was discharged as a Corporal. Today, he met with the President to celebrate his 107 birthday, he is the last of the known World War I veterans. Today, an average of 2,000 World War II veterans are dying on a daily basis. In my family, I had several uncles and great uncles that went to war in World War II and the Korean War, unfortunately I only met two of them and I regret for not telling them "Thank You".
Although you may have relatives on the other sides of your family which I do not know their history, you still have the opportunity to say "Thank You". Your Great Grandfather Jack Epperson was a fighter pilot in the Pacific Theatre in World War II. Perhaps, after you have watched the following video, you will see the importance of saying "Thank You" and in your own way continue to stand up for America, with time it will be your inheritance.
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