Several members requested that I post the “Thought of the Day” since the acoustics in the area that we were meeting in left a great deal to be desired.
Here’s the text:
SEPTEMBER 11TH, PATRIOT DAY, IS A DAY THAT HAS TOUCHED THE LIVES OF ALL AMERICANS IN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. ON THIS DAY IN 2011, AMERICA WAS ATTACKED AND OVER 3,000 MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN HAD THEIR LIVES TAKEN.
FROM THE PATRIOTS AT BUNKER HILL UNTIL TODAY, AMERICAN PATRIOTS IN OUR ARMED FORCES, OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL, OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND OUR MEDICAL RESPONDERS HAVE KEPT US FREE FROM TYRANNY. THEY PROVIDE US SECURITY AND GUARANTEE OUR FREEDOM. WE ARE INDEBTED TO THESE WONDERFUL AMERICANS. PATRIOTS DAY GIVES ALL OF US A PRIVILEGED OPPORTUNITY TO SAY “THANK YOU” TO THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO PUT THEMSELVES IN HARM’S WAY FOR OUR NATION, OUR STATE AND OUR COMMUNITY.
FREEDOM IS NOT FREE. FREEDOM IS PAID FOR BY THE LIVES OF OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM. SINCE THIS HUMBLING DAY OVER 6,000 SERVICE MEMBERS HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES IN DEFENSE OF YOUR FREEDOM.
THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE A MAN OR WOMAN IN UNIFORM, OR A VETERAN, PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY. IT MAY SEEM AWKWARD… BUT THAT’S OK… THEY WERE WILLING TO DIE FOR YOUR FREEDOM… A FEW SECONDS OF AWKWARDNESS WON’T HARM A HAIR ON YOUR HEAD.
JUST AS WE CANNOT FORGET PEARL HARBOR WE MUST NOT FORGET SEPTEMBER 11TH… AND NEVER FORGET THAT FREEDOM… IS NOT FREE.