Veterans and their families, scouts, and local officials gathered at Southborough’s All Wars Memorial on a cool but sunny morning last Friday to honor the town’s veterans and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
You can read a nice recap of the ceremony in the Metrowest Daily News, but here are some remarks by Selectman John Rooney that particularly resonated with me.
It is the veteran, and not the newspapers or the reporters, who has given us freedom of the press. It is the veteran, and not the scribe, the author, or the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech. It is the veteran, and certainly not the organizer or those involved in the occupy Wall Street movement, who has given us the freedom to demonstrate. And, it is the veteran who is driven by and honors the flag, and sadly whose coffin is draped by the flag, who has allowed the protester to burn the flag…To all veterans and their families here today – whether past or present – on behalf of any grateful Americans and a grateful town, thank you for your honor, thank you for your courage, thank you for your commitment and your sacrifices.
Below are photos from the observance. Click an image to enlarge.
Susan, thanks for the article. You might enjoy the full text of the poem “It Is The Soldier” by U.S. Army veteran Charles M. Province. Here’s a link (hope it works) http://www.iwvpa.net/provincecm/