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Wednesday, November 9,1994, Houston Times-Journal
Viewpoints
Houston Times-Journal
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Opinion
Why we celebrate Veterans Day
By: WILLIAM M. DETWEILER
Why do we celebrate Veterans
Day?
A citizen telephoned The
American Legion's National
Headquarters in Indianapolis
recently to say that he didn't think
veterans deserve any special
recognition, honor or benefits.
It was the caller's opinion that
America's wartime veterans have
given no more or no less to our
country than any other citizen who
goes to work each day and
otherwise does his or her part.
It's a fair question: Why do we
celebrate Veterans Day ?
First, the U.S. Constitution
grants citizens the right to assemble
peaceably anti die freedom to spe;ik
our minds. Many Americans in
1994 Like such rights for granted.
But, we have only to look at the
many trouble spots around the
world, some very close to home, to
know how fragile and rare-;ire the
freedoms that we enjoy
Second, because ol the
tremendous contribution America's
veterans have made to die tie tense ot
our nation, it's important to honor
these individuals November 11th.
the date on which World War 1 was
officially concluded, has been
designated for this purpose
Third, veterans do recognize the
contributions ot all Americans who
pitched in and did their part on the
home front during warrant 1
But. what ol the men and
women who drained ditir country's
uniform, left job. home and family,
and placed themselves m harm's
way for the s;tke of their nation ?
General Douglas MacArthur
described America's citizen-soldier
as "one of the world's noblest
figures."
Recalling two world wars,
MacArthur s;ud: "In memory's eye
I could see those staggering
columns of the First World War,
bending under soggy packs on
many a weary march, from dripping
dusk to drizzling dawn, slogging
ankle-deep through the mire of
shell-pocked roads; to form grimly
for the attack, blue-lipped, covered
with sludge and mud, chilled by the
wind and rain, driving home to their
objective, and, for many, to the
judgment seat of God.
"And 20 years alter, on the other
side of the globe, again the filth of
murky foxholes, the stench of
ghostly trenches, the slime of
dripping dugouts, those boiling
suns of relentless heat, those
torrential rains of devastating
storms...the bitterness of long
separation from those they loved
Your view
Don't take freedom for granted
Editor:
Some years ago Veterans Day was known as Armistice Day. For our
younger members, Armistice means a suspension of hostilities, in other
words, a truce. At the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh
month in 1918 World War I came to an end and was known as Armistice
Day. In later years, Veterans Day as we know it became the official
observance for honoring all Veterans.
While history tells us the dates of when these wars started and ended,
you rarely hear about the personal accounts of the men and women who
fought to preserve the Freedom and Liberty that sustain us today. You
cannot understand the meaning of sacrifice without a knowledge of history,
and you clearly have no concept of freedom and liberty until you are
willing to fight to the death so another person may live in Freedom, the
Freedom that all of us so dearly love, which sadly, is more often than not,
taken for granted.
Many hundreds of thousands of Americans have fought and died so we
may be here honoring all of the Veterans on Veterans Day November 11,
1994 at our Vetenuis Day Program in the Perry National Guard Armory at
11 a.in., everyone is invited to attend.
Sincerely,
Don Norris, American Legion
6th District
Share your opinions...
write a letter to the editor
and cherished, the deadly pestilence
of tropical disease, the horror of
stricken areas of war."
Author James Brady, a Marine
during the Korean War, has written
this about his experiences;
"We stayed on the line once
through January and February for
46 days. Never washed, never
changed clothes, and we ate from
tin cans. No fresh fruit, no milk,
no bread. Our faces were pitted
with pustules and black heads in the
cold, (mucus) froze...solid on our
nostrils and upper lips and our eyes
were bloodshot...and twitched from
nerves and fatigue.
"And you try to keep it hanging
together when a friend of yours is
killed or loses an eye or his hands
and try to forget what dead men
look like hanging on barbed wire in
the morning after you have fought
again through the night."
Here’s how Marsha Young, a
Desert Storm veteran, described her
experiences in a recent letter to The
American Legion Magazine:
"The monsoon rains flooded us,
the Scuds attacked us and the locals
harassed the American w omen"
"Water made our chemical suits
ineffective against any agents in the
Scud warheads. We had no showers
tor 11 days. With water and toilet
paper rationing, constant sand
storms. 100-plus degree weather, no
tampons, no laundry. Scud attacks
and sniper lire, I too. became the
animal within..."
"I live today with what is called
the Saudi Syndrome. My utmost
respect goes to the combat veterans
whatever the war. whatever the
gender.."
Indeed In war after war.
America's veterans have returned
home in need of medical help, an
education, and a job Yet, time and
time again, veterans have had to
fight for these things, too-for
benefits that a grateful nation
should bestow upon its defenders
like a crown of laurel
As national commander of The
American Legion, I'm proud to say
that throughout our organization's
75 years, we've been in the thick of
that fight. And we'll keep on
fighting.
With their blood, their sweat,
and their (ears, America’s veterans
have earned their place at the table.
Why do we celebrate Veterans
Day?
Because veterans have given us
the freedom to do so.
William M. Detweiler is
national commander of the 3.1
million-member American Legion.
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Study: Smaller schools are better
Shortly after Gov. Zell Miller
took office, he appointed a special
committee to study the public
school system in the stale. At that
time the State Department of
Education was operating under QBE
which offered local school systems
large incentives for consolidating
their smaller schools into larger
schools
The committee, chaired by Rep
Charles Thomas of Carroll County,
took almost a year to complete
their work, which included, in part,
visits to schools throughout the
state, interviews with school
administrators, teachers, parents and
students, and reviews of studies
done in other states When their
work was done, their findings were
presented to the Governor The
bottom line that sUxkl out like a
sore thumb was that in almost
every area of the study, smaller
schixils were advantageous to larger
schixils.
For eight years, prior to this
God demands faith from all His children
By: PASTOR WILLIE KING
"But without faith it is
impossible to please Him. for he
who comes to God must believe
diat He is. and that He is a rewardcr
of those who diligently seek him.
I have learned in my Christian
walk with God, that God demand
his children to have faith. God does
give us the means whereby to
produce this faith we have and the
right to challenge his justice. But
Remember when: a look back at the past
5 Years Ago
Nov. 4, 1989
Counties to ensure "90 cen
sus....
A. C. Daniel, 3d District Board
representative of the Association of
County Commissioners of Georgia
(ACCG), said the property assess
ment system in Georgia needs to be
changed so that timberland owners
won't be taxed so heavily because
of the separate values of the trees
and the land....
State Rep. Larry Walker says he
is displeased with the state’s prison
and seeks an end to prison short
age...
Westfield's 12-member one-act
team performs "Sin in the South"
for their parents....
Coach Gordon Powers’ Westfield
Hornets clinched his third region ti
tle in four years....
Houston Home Journal spon
sors Big Buck Contest....
Board of Education to decide on
controversial new job - a language -
arts coordinator position - recom
mended by Dr. Harold Chapman,
Houston County School Superin
tendent....
The Perry Area Chamber of
Commerce will sponsor a win
dow/door decorating contest. Mer
chants aie invited to decorate fronts
for holidays as part of the Christ
mas-al-lhe-Crossroads celebration.
10 Years Ago
Nov. 1, 1984
"■^p^Yibblej
study, the State Department of
Education had been pushing for
larger consolidated schixils across
the state on the theory that huger
was belter and more economical to
operate. The study proved what
many people in this county had
known fra a long time and that was
that bigger was not necessarily
better In fact, the study clearly
showed that everything considered,
smaller community schools
reflected the best chance for quality
education Smaller schixils received
more support from the community
and parents Smaller schixils
provided a better identity tor the
students Smaller schixils provided
if God placed within our means,
whereby, we can get faith, then it is
left up to us to get and attain it
from the word of God. Ihe way we
please God is to walk in faith.
What ever your desire when you
pray, believe that you will receive
it and you will have it.
So what is faith? The bible
gives us the meaning of the word
faith. Hebrews 11:1- "Now
(present tense) faith is die substance
Houston County Hospital Au
thority hired Wemmer's Communi
cations Corp. of Atlanta to conduct
a random telephone survey of the
county residents and those within
the survey area of die Perry-Hous
ton County Medical Center in
Warner Robins as a part of a
SI6,(XX) study....
United Way Perry Division went
over this year's g0a1....
Tal Irvall, director of the Univer
sity of Georgia Cooperative Ex
tension Service, furnished the fol
lowing Houston County figures to
the Kiwanis Club: Taxable sales
last year - $35 million; average
family income - $18,598; number
of families on food stamps,
1,746....
Hayneville firefighters to have
new headquarters in 2-3 weeks....
Balvaunuca Club announces sec
ond annual Art in Autumn a huge
success....
Thousands enjoy Mossy Creek
Festival....
Tennis Association holds first
tournament at the Eric P. Staples
Tennis Center. Gayla Andrew and
Joan Davis won the ladies' doubles
event; Allen and Riley Hunt won
the men's doubles. Bert Bozeman
won the A Division.
25 Years Ago
Oct. 30, 1969
Connie L. Jones, first Negro in
Perry's history to seek office (Cjty
4A —Houston Times-Journal
a safer and more pleasant
environment in which to learn
Smaller schools provided a closer
relationship between teacher and
student. And smaller schools
located within the communities
were not more expensive to operate,
everything considered.
Rep. Thomas carried this new
information before the State
legislature last session and a new
law was passed changing die sizes
that schools must be bef ore they are
eligible for state funding. Under
QBE high schixils were required to
have 970 students before the state
would fund them, middle schixils
6.14 students and elementary
schixils 450 siudenLs. The new law
that Gov. Miller signed that went
into effect on July 1 of this year
says the state will fund high
schixils with 500 students, middle
schools with 400 students and
elementary schools with 200
students. Indeed, the legislature felt
that bigger was not better either!
of things hoped for, the evidence of
things not seen." Now faith is
believing God right now for what
you want. This is the reason why
you must have faith to please God.
In Romans 4:17-21, these verses
teaches that Abraham believed God
and didn't consider his body being
old but kept the faith in what God
had said. We as believers can
please God by believing die word of
God.
Council)...
Progress on City's new well
moves ahead. The well is located
behind Woodlawn Cemetery on the
Fort Valley Road and will be the
site of the City's new water plant
with a capacity of 1,000 gallons of
water per minute. The well will be
completed in about three weeks....
Allen P. Whipple was installed
as president at an Emory University
Alumnae Banquet at the Macon
Sheraton Inn, Oct. 24....
50 Years Ago
Nov. 2, 1944
Cattle industry in Houston
County expands....
Houston Lodge No. 35 Free
Will and Accepted Masons will ob
serve its 100th anniversary on Nov.
6 with a gala celebration. L. C.
Walker is Worshipful Master of
Houston Lodge and Charles F. Gray
is chairman of the centennial cele
bration which will be held in the
Perry High School Gym next Mon
day night. Supper will be served at
7 p.in. to be followed by a program
and a dance. A military band from
Robins Field will furnish music for
the dance. Masons and their guests
are expected to number 300 on this
occasion...
PUS Basketball Spotlight by G.
Francis Nunn showed PUS winning
the third victory of the season, de
feating Fort Valley.
T '
Significant
days on the
U.S. calender
It is perhaps fitting that election
day and Veteran's Day are so close
together.
Without election day, there
would be no need fra Veteran's Day.
The United States is truly a citi
zen's nation. Perhaps in other lands,
ruled by kings and dictato-s, the
populace has little reason to cele
brate the fact that they are citizens
of a country.
In those lands, other than just
die general benefiLs or woes that ac
crue for good or bad government,
the people have little claim on the
land. After all, it is the rulers of
these lands that make all the deci
sions.
If the ruler is benevolent, he
might consider the wants and the
needs of his subjects. If the ruler is
not benevolent, those wants and
needs are meet only when the coin
cide with his wants and needs. Ei
ther way, the citizens have little
voice in the way the nation, and
their lives, are governed.
It’s hard for me to imagine
someone being really patriotic over
such a governmental system. One
of the things that 1 like about the
United States is that I have some
ownership of the government of the
nation. Even with all the socialistic
tendencies in today's government,
this is still a democracy, still a
government that listens, no matter
how reluctantly, to the voices of
the people.
We demonstrate that ownership
of the nation when we go to the
polls on election day. If we arc
pleased w ith die way our country is
operating, than we voice dial plea
sure through our vote, or lack of it.
The same is true if we are dis
pleased.
Without election day. without
our ownership of the government,
what real reason do we have to cel
ebrate Veteran's Day. If we did not
own the government, than we
would be paying homage to a force
that had the primary responsibility
to keep us out of power and do that
by force if necessary.
Our ownership of the govern
ment is backed by the veterans that
have served in our armed forces.
Not only is that ownership backed
through their fighting our wars;
but, it is also backed through atti
tude of submission to civilian rule.
We have to look no further than
Central America to see that last
point. Today, nation after nation is
dismantling their armed forces be
cause diose units fight the citizen's
right to have a voice in his coun
try’s affairs, even if that voice
seems wrong.
Yet, in the United States, we
have seen our armed services serve
under a President, Bill Clinton,
who is the complete antithesis of
the armed forces. Our military has
went willingly into Haiti, Somalia
and the Persian Gulf under the
ironic command of a man who re
fused to serve in the Vietnam War.
Clinton has shown is complete
ignorance of the military by trying
to conduct widespread social exper
iments. Yet, the military supports
him, and implements his orders.
Perhaps on this Veteran's Day, we
need to fully realize this contribu
tion the military has made through
out the country's history, because it
is a unique contribution.
And, the other tangible contribu
tion made by our veterans is, of
course, their sacrifice on the battle
fields in war, and on the parade
grounds in peace. And, I understand
that in total war every citizen, sol
dier and civilian, bears the cost of
war equally. But, I also realize that
this nation has fought only three
total wars in its history—the Civil
War, World War I and World War
11, with World War I lasting a short
period of time.
Most of the wars fought by the
United States have been limited,
with the cosLs bourne almost en
tirely by the soldiers. Our military
has done their job, keeping what
wars we have had to fight small and
far from home.
It is good that election day and
Veteran's Day are so close together.
Without Veteran's Day, there would
be no election day. And, without
election day, there would be no
Veteran's Day. „