Disclaimer: What follows is the personal opinion of Mr. Stache a.k.a. Paul
W. Hartnägel, a US Navy Veteran. It should NOT be misconstrued as any authorized curriculum of the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk,
or any other schools, board of education.
Mr.
Stache's Veterans Day Essay Contest:
Question
#1: What is the meaning of 11-11-11?
At
the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 all fighting stopped in The Great
War, The War to End All Wars, what we now refer to as World War One.
Then, not twenty one years later the Germans and the Soviets invaded Poland starting what was to become World
War Two (thus giving The Great War its new name of World War One). We originally celebrated November 11th as Armistice
Day. We now celebrate it as Veterans Day. Sadly, throughout all recorded history negotiated peace rarely lasts more than one
generation. As soon as folks forget that “War takes the L out of Glory” they start thinking that somehow
for some reasons they must go to war again. Believe me when I tell you that no one hates war more than those who have had
to fight in one. But the best way to avoid a war is to be so strong and so prepared to fight that nobody would ever think
of hitting you first. Teddy Roosevelt said it as “Speak softly, but carry a big stick.” I say it as a
Cold War Veteran. The Cold War was forty years of the two biggest playground bullies ever, shaking their fists at each other
with hardly any punches actually thrown. Both either afraid of, or aware of, what the other might actually be able to do to
them if a real fight ever did break out. Our American Veterans, from Lexington to Iraq, whether actually fighting, or standing ready and willing
to fight, have preserved our Peace and Freedom by making sacrifices small, large and ultimate. While they may have seen far
distant places, the distance separated them from their families, especially at holidays. To purchase our Freedom, each of
our Veterans, at one time, wrote a blank check, payable to the People of the United
States of America for any amount up to and including their life, and then they signed it
in their own blood, sweat, and tears.
FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!!
Some
other sites explaining 11-11-11
http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp
http://www.thenation.com/blogs/notion?pid=250897
Question
#2. How many minutes is “A Pittance of Time”?
As referred to in the song, “A Pittance of Time” is two minutes. Depending on the
version your watch on YouTube, the video lasts approximately five minutes. The message is that at 11th Hour of
the 11th Day of the 11th Month we should observe two minutes of silence to reflect on the service of all our veterans. The
complete story and explanation is found at the author’s web site www.Terry-Kelly.com
