“... O say does that star spangled banner yet wave, o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” Nearly every American can recite the final lines of our National Anthem. However, few take the time to truly contemplate the meaning of these words. When I hear these phrases, I think of the principles on which our country was founded: the right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. But perhaps more important than these rights are the defenders of them: our veterans. Ninety-eight years ago, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, an armistice was declared between Germany and the Allied Nations in World War I. One year later, it was celebrated as Armistice Day to honor the cause of world peace. After World War II and the Korean War, it was renamed Veterans Day, dedicated to American veterans from any war. The transition from Armistice Day to Veterans Day seems appropriate, for we would not have peace if we did not have veterans. But the implication that veterans are mere preservers of order is a vast misrepresentation; they do much more for our nation. They uphold the standards of freedom. They protect the dreams of our youth by …show more content…
Battle scars, wounds that run deeper than the lacerations themselves, trauma and heartbreak that we will never understand- all for our nation. Thanks to them, we can enjoy a high quality of life in a safe, peaceful country. The Bill of Rights and the Constitution would not have meaning if they were not defended; our personal liberties would be nonexistent and our aspirations would not be possible. America is beautiful in that uniqueness is embraced and the spread of ideas is promoted, not stifled. Our hopes and dreams can only be achievable when liberty and freedom are upheld. Veterans’ sacrifices ensure our citizens’ dreams will be within reach in a country that is, in all senses of the word,