On this Veteran's Day I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to the men and women that are serving, and have served this great nation. Despite our differences, and we have many, we can express them without fear because of our servicemen and women. As I posted on my Facebook page
"I’ve experienced the euphoria of success, the depths of despair that comes with failure, experienced a child growing up and becoming an adult. This would not have been possible without God, and the members of the U.S. Military (past and present). Thank you and May God bless you and your loved ones."
It is unfortunate that this day of recognition doesn't have the same meaning, or treated with the same reverence as it was when I was a boy. It is not just a day off from work for many, or a day the banks and courts are closed, it is a time to say thank you to those that served this country (in spite of all its faults). More importantly, it is a time to reflect on the sacrifice of those that died in service of this country / you and me.
We're not allowed to say a prayer at the beginning of the school day; some don't even say the Pledge of Allegiance because it contains the words "under God". We don't do those things because some have argued to the Supreme Court that this country should ignore the words as written, instead we should conduct ourselves in accordance with how some have interpreted the meaning of the words.
To those people and to those that hate our service men and women and protest at their funerals I have a thought for you. If it wasn't for the men and women that serve (and have served) in the U.S. military you wouldn't have the luxury to publicly express those thoughts, or to insult their memory and intrude upon their family's grief. Maybe for a moment, just sixty (60) seconds, you could stop and say thank you.
THAT’S MY OPINION, WHAT’S YOURS
I have posted the video below; it is online as a tribute to our veterans. One thing I remember growing up was that those adults that had served had a rivalry amongst the various branches, they would criticize one another and share put downs. However, don't you dare do it because they would come to their comrade’s defense in a heartbeat? Despite all the back and forth you could tell that they respected one another and that is demonstrated in the video.
About Me
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- James N. Mann
- I retired after completing 38 years as a law enforcement officer in the State of Florida. I began my law enforcement career with the City of Miami, where I served for nearly 27 years before serving with a state agency for 11 1/2 years (part of that time as Interim Inspector General). During my career with Miami I worked in uniform patrol, the detective bureau, and the 911 center. I was also a member of the first law enforcement crew to respond to New York City on September 11, 2001. From January 2007 to April 2011 I also served as a commissioner on the state commission that governs the certification of law enforcement, correctional and probation officers in the state. I am a Past President of the Florida State Lodge Fraternal Order of Police (President 2004-2006); I was an employee representative with Miami FOP Lodge #20 for almost 21 years (6 years serving at the Chief Steward). I have worked on legislative issues at all levels, worked on political screening committees. I’m a past member of the Dade County Republican Executive Committee, and have been an advisor/ law enforcement liaison for a presidential candidate..
