Veteran’s Day observed in Henderson

On Saturday, November 11, Col. Archie B. Taylor spoke at Henderson’s Veteran’s Triangle to an assembled audience regarding the theme “Honoring those who served”. The text of his speech is given below:

The Veteran’s Day theme this year is “Honoring those who served.” Why should we pay them honor? Let me remind you of the words of President Ronald Reagan, who said “Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly — and — by each generation…”

No one ethnic group (Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, American Indians), no one religious group (Catholics, Protestants, Jews), no one gender group (males or females), in our American society has a monopoly on having stood on the walls to defend our freedoms when the nation called us to duty. And our beloved Vance County has contributed its fair share of her sons and daughters who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in military service to ensure the freedoms of which President Reagan spoke. And other freedoms such as the freedom to hang out at McDonalds, the freedom to criticize and make fun of our country’s leader on late night television shows, the freedom to listen to rap, country and western, gospel or rock music your choice, and the freedom to work anywhere, live anywhere, worship whoever we want to or not worship anywhere at all — these and many other freedoms that we enjoy are more than enough reasons to honor those who have served in order that we may live in peace and freedom.

Each generation gets an opportunity to serve. From the American Revolutionary War, to the War Between the States (the Civil War), to the Spanish-American War and World War I and World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, the Gulf War and now the war against terrorism in Iraq, — no generation of Americans has escaped the opportunity to join the parade and long line of those who have served when their country called. And our county — Vance County — from its founding in the 1800’s to today, 2006, takes a back seat to no municipality in America in providing warriors whose courage and sacrifice protect our freedoms. Over 200 of our county’s sons and daughters have been killed or wounded defending our freedoms in these wars to include those killed in Iraq.

America’s enemies do not fear America’s world class doctors or lawyers; they do not fear America’s leaders of industry or America’s great scientists and academicians. No! What America’s enemies fear most is our young men and women who become our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines. They fear them because it is these men and women whom they must defeat on the field of battle if they are to defeat America and the American dream. And thus far every generation of Americans, when they have been called have overcome our prejudices, our disagreements and our differences and gone forth to insure that our children and grandchildren will continue to enjoy the freedoms that we have enjoyed.

Once a year we pause to honor ALL veterans and to say thank you. You are the country’s real heroes. To paraphrase a verse of scripture, “…Let those…who serve well be given double honor.” Today not only does America honor those who served — but — our county also pauses to honor those who have served. We honor them and their widows and their families and loved ones and we say THANK YOU, THANK YOU VETERANS. God Bless America and God Bless Vance County and Henderson, North Carolina.