“TakealittletriptoValleyForgeinJanuary.Holdamusketballinyourfingersandimagineitpiercingyourfleshandbreakingaboneortwo.
Therewon'tbeadoctorortrainertoassistyouuntilafterthebattle,sojustwaityourturn.Takeyourcleatsandsocksofftogetarealexperience.
Then,takeakneeonthebeachinNormandywheremanafterAmericanmanstormedthebeach,evenastheoneinfrontofhimwasshottopieces,theveryseastainedwithAmericanblood.Theonlyblockersmosthadwerethedeadbodiesinfrontofthem,riddledwithbulletsfromenemyfire.
TakeakneeinthesweatsoakedjunglesofVietnam.FromKheSanhtoSaigon;anywherewilldo.Americansdiedinallthosejungles.Therewasnoplaybookthattoldthemwhatwasnext,buttheyknewwhatflagtheyrepresented.Whentheycamehome,theywereprotestedaswell,andspitonforreasonsonlycowardsknow.
TakeanotherkneeintheblooddrenchedsandsofFallujahin11degreeheat.WearyourKevlarhelmetandbattledress.Yournumberwon'tbeprintedonitunlessyournumberisup!You'llneedtostayhydratedbuttherewon'tbeanyonetosquirtGatoradeintoyourmouth.You'reonyourown.
TherearealotofplacestotakeakneewhereAmericanshavegiventheirlivesallovertheworld.Whenyouusethebannerunderwhichtheyfoughtasasourceforyourdispleasure,youdishonorthememoriesofthosewhobledfortheveryfreedomsyouhave.That'swhattheredstripesmean.Theyrepresentthebloodofthosewhospilledaseaofitdefendingyourliberty.
Whileyou'reonyourknee,prayforthosethatcamebeforeyou,notonamanicuredlawnstripedandprintedwithnumberstoannounceeveryinchofgroundtaken,butonnamelesshillsandbloodiedbeachesandsweltering forestsandbittercoldmountains,everyinchmarkedbyanAmericanlifelostservingthatflagyouprotest.
Nocheerleaders,noannouncers,nocoaches,nofans,justAmericanmenandwomen,deliveringtherealfightagainstthosewhochosetoharmus,blazingapathsoyouwouldhavetherightto"takeaknee."Youhaven'tanyinkofwhatittooktogetyouwhereyouare,butyour"protest"is noted.Notonlyisitdisgracefultoanationofrealheroes,itservesthepurposeofpointingtoyouringratitudeforthosewhochosetodefendyouunderthatbannerthatwillstillwavelongafteryourjerseyisretired.
Ifyoureallyfeeltheneedtotakeaknee,comewithmetochurchonSundayandwe'llbothkneelbeforeAlmightyGod.We'llthankHimforpreservingthiscountryforaslongasHehas.We'llbegforgivenessforouringratitudeforallHehasprovidedus.We'llappealtoHimforunderstandingandwisdom.We'llprayforlibertyandjusticeforall,becauseHeistheonewhoprovidesthosethings.Buttherewillbenoprotest.TherewillonlybegratitudeforHisprovisionandapleaforHiscontinuedgraceandmercyonthelandofthefreeandthehomeofthebrave.” AttributedtoTedNugent.
Godblessallthosewhoserveourcountryandwhohaveprotectedthefreedomsweoftentakeforgranted. BesuretotakeyourfamilytochurchonSunday.
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