The dark night, the flashes of light, the echoing rumbles shaking the ground. Shadows streak across the ruins of the once simple lives. Dreams crunching under their boots. They shake and shiver, from cold and fear. Still they stand, ready to face the dawn.

They came from cities, from farmers fields, to stand and fight for their ideals. Many expect never to see their homes, but still they stand, ready, to help those unknown.

Today we stand, in the cold and the light. Always to respect those who would stand and fight. Not for power, for money or Pride, but to protect the innocent, dead or alive.


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Today we stand in silence to respect those who have died fighting not just for our country, not just for our ideas, but for others. They have paid in their blood, so that others have the chance to grow and nourish both their hopes and dreams of a better life for not only themselves, but for those whom they will never know.

We can argue about whether a battle or war is justified, but we must NEVER forget that those who fight these wars, who suffer injury or death, do so not for a political idea, but because they decided that they would server, they would protect, and deserve nothing but respect.