Matt Denn on Veterans Day 2010
Here is the text of the speech delivered by Matt Denn on Veterans Day 2010 at the Delaware Memorial Bridge War Memorial. Thank you veterans.
It is an honor to be with you this morning. Our Governor is overseas on a trip designed to create jobs here in Delaware. You have seen him through many Veterans Day commemorations, and you know that he would be here if he could.
Every Sunday, I take my twin five year old boys to Dunkin Donuts. We’ve been doing it for years. My boys think it is the greatest thing in the world, my wife gets some well-deserved sleep, and I get out of the whole deal for less than $10. There are many Sundays that I sit there, watching my boys laugh and eat, and think ‘I am an incredibly lucky guy.’
This past Sunday, U.S. Army Specialist Dale Kridlo from Pittston, Pennsylvania, also the father of young twins, was shot and killed by a sniper in Afghanistan. His father drove to Dover Air Force Base on Monday to claim his son’s body. Dale Kridlo was due to come home for Christmas this year. His family said that he was a Phillies fan, an Eagles fan, but most of all dedicated to his nine year old twin girls Madelyne and Zoe, who will now grow up without a father. This Veterans Day in Pittston is being marked with the flags at half mast for Dale Kridlo. Dale Kridlo sacrificed, his family has sacrificed, so that we might live and raise our families in the same great country, with the same extraordinary freedoms and opportunities, that you and I have enjoyed.
On this Veterans Day we must first and foremost give our thanks and pay our respects, to those who have served, those who have sacrificed, and the mothers, fathers, spouses, partners, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters who have sacrificed along with them. For Operation Enduring Freedom alone, it has been nine years of families sacrificing, often through multiple tours, and thousands of soldiers who have given their lives or suffered life altering injuries.
So today we give thanks, and we pay our respects, and that is important and necessary. But it is not sufficient. To those of you who have served, to the families of those who served or are in harm’s way today, we owe you two things.
First, we owe you our honest best efforts to support our soldiers and their families during their service and after their service. I know that some of you are here every year, and you may remember that a couple of years ago I told you that we got a bill passed in Dover to make it easier for surgeons to come out of retirement to work at the VA Hospital in Elsmere, without losing their insurance. Well, I got an e-mail from Dr. David Axon a couple of weeks ago, out of the blue, an orthopedic surgeon who came out of retirement under this new program. He wrote, “I started at the [Delaware] VA in September of 2008….Two years later we’ve done about 500 orthopedic procedures…and I believe we’ve made a major difference in the quality of the lives of many of these vets. We’ve also started a joint replacement program in cooperation with the Lebanon VA ….” That is five hundred surgical procedures for Delaware veterans that otherwise would have had to be done in another state, or wouldn’t have been done at all. That is a great story. Yesterday, I had the privilege of being present for the opening of Fisher House on Dover Air Force Base, a facility that will provide comfort and convenient lodging to the families who travel to the base to receive the bodies of their loved ones killed in action. The opening of Fisher House is a great story. But we should have a dozen more great stories, stories about how we helped veterans get timely answers on disability applications, how we helped veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan to find jobs. I think we owe it to you on Veterans Day not just to say “thanks” but to show you our gratitude in concrete deeds.
The second thing that we owe you is a country that is worthy of the sacrifice you have made. We who have the privilege to serve the public owe you our best efforts to mold a country you can be proud of. Because we all revere our flag, but you did not fight just for the flag, and we proudly sing our national anthem but you did not fight just for a song. You fought for the freedoms and rights enshrined in our Constitution, and beyond that, the boundless spirit, energy, and common purpose that have always been America’s hallmark. So we owe you more than chants of ‘USA’ or ‘We’re Number One,” we owe you a sincere effort to work together on fixing this country’s real problems. That doesn’t mean we won’t argue; one of the rights you fought for was our right to argue, to engage in free debate. But it does mean our goal must be solutions rather than confrontation. We owe you at least that much.
Each life newly lost in the defense of our country, each tragedy like Dale Kridlo’s, brings crushing sorrow, and new recognition of the overwhelming burden borne by a select few so that we and our children might have the privilege of living in what is still the greatest nation this earth has known. During World War II, Carl Sandburg said “There are freedom shouters. There are freedom whisperers. Both may serve. Have I, have you, been too silent?” On this Veterans Day, we thank you for the sacrifice you have made, and we loudly proclaim our obligation to honor that sacrifice.
Tags: Matt Denn, Veterans Day, War
“So today we give thanks, and we pay our respects, and that is important and necessary. But it is not sufficient.” Good on you Matt Denn.
I second that, Jason. Such an appropriate and wonderful presentation from a very good person! Thanks for posting it, liberalgeek.
Matt is a poet. He is also right.
If Matt Denn really cared for “U.S. Army Specialist Dale Kridlo from Pittston, Pennsylvania,” “father of young twins”, and those sure to follow in Dale’s path, he’d have proposed we stop sending the Dale Kridios on foreign adventures.
Delacrat – I’m reviewing my copy of the Constitution and I can’t seem to find where the Lt. Governor of Delaware is responsible for declarations of war… Can you point it out to me?
If Matt Denn really cared he’d berate people in blog comments for not caring enough!
Denn made the right speech. I want to hear many more like that.
But a resounding call for an end to needless sacrifice should not be considered out of order from any public official on Veterans Day. No Constitutional authority is required.
If Denn had stood up and said “…we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain…” FOX and wingnut radio would question his patriotism.
That would have been a good speech too, but divisive. The blame for it being perceived as divisive falls on the modern right wing.
“During World War II, Carl Sandburg said “There are freedom shouters. There are freedom whisperers. Both may serve. Have I, have you, been too silent?”
Indeed.
It would be nice if we still celebrated Armistice Day. We now have two days for veterans and zero for peace.
Delacrap and others – for one day, could you please drop your purist shit about the military and just honor and thank those of us who served our country? Just give it a fucking rest.
Memorial Day is meant to honor those who died in war. Veterans Day honors those who served.
If Matt Denn really cared he’d berate people in blog comments for not caring enough!
ROFL!
Where are the young, civilians now who watch in detachment as their peers sacrifice their lives in pursuit of NOTHING?
Why are they not crying out for their brothers and sisters?
Why aren’t they in the streets marching?
Do they think this is all a VIDEO game?
“Memorial Day is meant to honor those who died in war. Veterans Day honors those who served.”
As I said: Two holidays for veterans — one for the living, one for the dead, as you point out — and none for peace, even the one that was originally intended to celebrate peace and now celebrates service personnel instead.
Did you have a point?
skip,
the youth of this generation… im just on the old side of the “youth”… are just as lazy stoned and selfish as in the 70s. When there is something big enough we git involved… like in 2008. The short attention span and lack of follow through has made it almost a failure.. but that isnt my point.
Less than 1% of our fellow citizens serve in the military. It isnt a big enough issue. Not everyone has been hurt by these wars so, not everyone cares. If you wanna get the kid’s attention, bring back the draft. Force them to be involved. You bring back the draft and a promise there will be millions of american 18-24 year olds in the streets.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyBtoxXLdas
Interview from a couple years ago with Frank Buckles, America’s only living WWI veteran. He’s 109 this year.
Thank you MJ. Thanks to any other vets in the DL community or who may read this.
Thank you for everything.
a.price-fucking fanned and faved.
It’s sad. That will be the only thing to wake them up.
And I am COMPLETELY confused about that issue.
I was the last with a LOW draft number.
Talk about confusion.
Comment by liberalgeek @ 11:54 am:
“Delacrat – I’m reviewing my copy of the Constitution and I can’t seem to find where the Lt. Governor of Delaware is responsible for declarations of war… Can you point it out to me?”
It’s a safe bet he’s not a member of any anti-war organizations either.
Comment by MJ @ 12:52 pm:
“Delacrap and others – for one day, could you please drop your purist shit about the military and just honor and thank those of us who served our country? Just give it a fucking rest.”
MJ FYI…The U.S. military soaks us civilians for nearly 43.4% of the federal discretionary budget.
US military soaks us civilians at a per capita rate, 2 to 4 times what a citizen pays in similarly advanced countries , such as Canada or Britain.
So don’t believe it when A. Price says “Not everyone has been hurt by these wars”. Everyone in Canada and Britain has health care and no one in Canada and Britain dies for lack of health care. 45,000 US taxpayers do because of warped priorities enabled by the troop worship demonstrated by Matt Denn.
Why don’t “the troops” give us a “fucking rest”
“Why don’t “the troops” give us a “fucking rest”
young men and women volunteer to serve…they are away from loved ones…sustain horrific injuries…and sometimes die…
disagree with military spending and its impact on our country and I am with you…but not those who serve…the $$$ aren’t going to them…the infantry soldiers aren’t getting rich
you ass wipe Delacrat – it not the TROOSP that soak the citizens – its the milirty machine – the wasteful military spending spurred on by congress.
those troops have fought and died for boneheads like you to sit on your dead ass and write drivel
do you think they WANT to be in Iraq fighting sandfleas and 120 degree heat – they are there because some bonehead politician said there were WMD in Irag – they where SENT there and let me tell you from first hand experience – they would rather be home with their families
so you want to blame someone – blame the military industrial complex people like you helped to create and the politicians you voted for.
and that the TROOPS – the brave men and women, gay and straight who wrote a check to this county for the amount up to and including their lives, deserve better than to listen to your mierda on this their day!
pinche hombre, hijo de puta, culchie
you all are welcome
“What if they gave a war and nobody came?”
You know, there are some real assholes who comment on this site, but delacrap, you are the king of assholes. Go spend a day walking through Arlington Cemetary, or visit a Veterans Home, or even spend an hour at Walter Reed. Maybe then you’ll understand the sacrifice I and my brothers-in-arms made to protect your worthless piece of shit ass.
“worthless piece of shit ass”
Staying classy, MJ.
@anonone:
sometimes one must fight fire with fire – this is one of those times
if you dont like MJ’s comment you are free to leave the building
and dont let the door hit your ass on the way out
go over and play with DP – I hear they are real classy – you will fit right in
Nice speech, Matt.
Thank you, veterans.
Comment by MJ @ 8:02 pm:
“You know, there are some real assholes who comment on this site, but delacrap, you are the king of assholes. Go spend a day walking through Arlington Cemetary, or visit a Veterans Home, or even spend an hour at Walter Reed. Maybe then you’ll understand the sacrifice I and my brothers-in-arms made to protect your worthless piece of shit ass.”
Protect my “worthless piece of shit ass” from whom?
Ho Chi Minh? Saddam? The dude in the WH who claims the power to kill any US citizen he deems “a terrorist”, with no due process?
Comment by Aoine @ 6:26 pm:
“you ass wipe Delacrat – it not the TROOSP(sic) that soak the citizens – its the milirty(sic) machine – the wasteful military spending spurred on by congress.”
Aoine,
There would be no “milirty machine” without the “TROOSP”. You’re trying to make a distinction without a difference. That don’t work.
“those troops have fought and died for boneheads like you to sit on your dead ass and write drivel”
No thanks. I don’t need any “armed services”. I demo’ed against all the ones in my lifetime, worked for anti-war candidates and did my best to ensure they didn’t end up in Walter Reed. So don’t fight and die on my account.
“do you think they WANT to be in Iraq fighting sandfleas and 120 degree heat – they are there because some bonehead politician said there were WMD in Irag – they where SENT there and let me tell you from first hand experience – they would rather be home with their families”
They don’t belong there and have no legitimate reason for being there. Hence, whether they WANT to be there or not is morally irrelevant .
“so you want to blame someone – blame the military industrial complex people like you helped to create and the politicians you voted for.”
See my first response above.
“and that the TROOPS – the brave men and women, gay and straight who wrote a check to this county for the amount up to and including their lives, deserve better than to listen to your mierda on this their day!”
See my 2nd response above.
“pinche hombre, hijo de puta, culchie”
Your spelling, critical thinking and command of English really goes to hell as your frenzy mounts.
The Libertarian in me agrees with delacrat. The decent human being in me disagrees w/ delacrat.
Dear Delacrat–bitch, whine & complain all you want about the military & our idiotic deployment of the military, but please don’t blame our volunteer Marines, soldiers, sailors, airmen, etc. for crappy U.S. military policy, especially on a day that was intended to honor veterans. My late father, both grandfathers & many uncles served in WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam and more than a few of my friends, classmates, relatives & coworkers have served in both the 1st & 2nd Gulf wars.
Comment by anon40 10:49 pm:
“The Libertarian in me agrees with delacrat. The decent human being in me disagrees w/ delacrat.
“Dear Delacrat–bitch, whine & complain all you want about the military & our idiotic deployment of the military, but please don’t blame our volunteer Marines, soldiers, sailors, airmen, etc. for crappy U.S. military policy, especially on a day that was intended to honor veterans.”
So they are blameless because they volunteered for a “crappy” (i.e. immoral) policy? It’s AALLLLL somebody else’s fault? I guess the conservatives are right when they say there’s no personal responsibility anymore.
“My late father, both grandfathers & many uncles served in WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam and more than a few of my friends, classmates, relatives & coworkers have served in both the 1st & 2nd Gulf wars.”
And your point is?
I really dont give a shit what you think or think about…..
MY” spelling, (my) critical thinking or (my) command of English really goes (ing) to hell as your(my) frenzy mounts”
I really don’t give a shit if you are a frustrated school-marm – thats your issue
but – for one day -just one day -you could not have a shred of human decency and let the veterans have their day without a piece of shit like you trashing them.
so now we know what your are – the only question is what’s your price bandejo??
“pinche hombre, hijo de puta, culchie – no spelling mistakes or grammer issues there either…. but all still not adequate to discribe what kind of garbage low life scumbag chooses Veteran’s Day to take a cheap shot
@anon40
babe – no quid pro quo here – this is the type of garbage we dont even piss on if they are on fire
its funner to listen to them crackle, and the fat spit out and see the muscles draw up into the typical pugilistic stance of burn victims.
thats what we got here…… let it burn and keep the imagery going
walk away – our point is made and the “hijo de puta” has a sad road in life
labeled as a coward is a tough road – especially when you know you really are one. Or else he never would have come in here to try to show how much he’s not
peace out anon40
but – for one day -just one day -you could not have a shred of human decency and let the veterans have their day without a piece of shit like you trashing them.
Actually, in today’s Amerika, every day is a “veteran” day. Nov 11 is just an official one. You know very well to criticize “the troops”, (or Israel, Obomba or any other national sacred cow,) today or any other day, that hell hath no fury like a sacred cow scorned. So if the State Treasurer grovels to the sacred cow today, I’m not waiting for tomorrow.
Fine – then go forth and waset your life tilting at windmills that will be spinnning long after you are gone
or
wake the fuck up and become part of the process to fix it
get off the cross honey….we need the wood
way more than we need a headline grabbing narcissist like you
we just got rid of one Christine O’Donnell
@ delacrat–
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lplze3ONJWo
Apologies to my favorite local talk radio host.
“Fine – then go forth and waset(sic) your life tilting at windmills that will be spinnning long after you are gone
or
wake the fuck “……blah, blah, blah
Aoine, you can either let the truth set you free. ….or you can get mad, curse and call people names in your first language.
Choose wisely my friend.
Good night
It’s not hard to see who’s really coming from a place of hate in this discussion, gents.
I always meant to look this up but finally did. It is an eye-opener.
US military salaries (<20 year service):
Officers: $69K – $142K
Warrant officers: $54K – $105K
Enlisted: $35K – $91K
Total enlisted members: 1,174,563
Total officers: 224,144
Those salaries seem high. Is that total compensation? Cash and benes? Oh, never mind.
“The charts include base pay, average housing allowance, monetary food allowance, and the “tax advantage” of untaxed allowances. The charts do not include items such as overseas housing allowance, combat pay, overseas COLA (cost of living allowance), enlistment or reenlistment bonuses, or other bonuses and allowances that many servicemembers are entitled to.”
delashit – Matt Denn is the Lt. Governor, not the State Treasurer.
Plus the benefits of being blown up,blinded, mutilated,captured, torture, dismembered and killed in firefights and battle
suffering in extreme heat and cold, exposure to disease and hostile factions
bio and germ hazards and psychological stressors
hmmmmmm -yep great job, wonderful pay
wonder why our angry delcrat doesn’t castigate wall street thieves and liars with the same passion – -and the members of Congress that support those thieves??
better waste of their time
Gee MJ – my typing stinks but even I know that- who the State Treasurer is – even had a photo and it did not help delashit either
course Delacrap wouldn’t know it if a bus hit him either
however, delacrap likes to think they have the market on grammer and speling corrections – better stick with that Crappy – seems you dont know politics.
LOL – good one!!
This is like the right wing lie that auto workers make 75 dollars an hour….
If you take their salary, all their benefits, money paid to retirees, pensions for everyone in the company including widows and kids, the salaries of managers and executives, THEIR benes and bonuses…. and divide that by an 8 hour day…. DAMN UNIONS!
Except that the $75/hour lie was a lie, and the military salaries appear to be accurate.
Can we still agree to be reality based, using facts, and to avoid false equivalencies? or have Democrats abandoned that too?
Just for comparison, in 1942 an enlisted seaman earned $600 annually, equivalent to about $8K today.
It does shed some light on the definitions of “service” and “thanks.”
Let’s face it this is absolutely true:
“Actually, in today’s Amerika, every day is a “veteran” day. Nov 11 is just an official one. You know very well to criticize “the troops”, today or any other day, that hell hath no fury like a sacred cow scorned.”
Today’s military is absolutely different than the one it replaced. Today it is just like any other job only with pretty good pay and lifelong benefits. Are there many here that don’t risk their lives or work in uncomfortable, dangerous surroundings often removed from families fofr long periods of time? I guess I “volunteered” “to serve” for my job too. My job protects and serves Americans as do many others,and that’s great, but at the end of the day, it gets me paid.
I’m not suggesting another holiday, but please don’t expect me to hero-worship someone who excepted a job offer, citizen.
I was impressed to find we have only 1.5 million members in the armed services. No wonder we are having problems managing two overseas wars while maintaining all our other commitments.
And as a1 and gigisan pointed out more dramatically, these 1.5 million service members seem to be having an outsized effect on our domestic politics – which in historical precedent tends not to end well.
This is why we can’t have nice things.
Matt Denn’s speech was awesome. It was a nice thing, and we have it. I think he even mentioned our right to argue. Your point – ??
I would just like ONE thing we can all agree on. We couldn’t even have a pleasant thread on the “Happy Birthday DL” discussion.
Seriously, if Pandora made a post and it was like “hey, babies are cute” A1 or Delcrat or maybe you would be like “but they’ll never have public option health insurance and OBOMBA is going to murder all of them in his zionist war machine of horror!” It’s their right. It’s just a little exhausting for these threads to always be ones of argument rather than collaboration.
Your trying to pick a fight with me on my statement proves my point.
The reason Librals can’t get any traction is because someone ALWAYS has to shit in the cake batter, no matter what the topic is.
Vets are great. Period. Yay Matt. Why did this turn in 40 posts of anger and vitrol?
To paraphrase another recent argument: There are plenty of blogs dedicated to cute babies and the armed services, so why don’t you go hang out there?
The answer is because you like the debates. This is, until further notice, a general purpose liberal political blog with an open comments section.
I honestly don’t think the discussion takes anything away from Matt’s speech or the honor of the military. I liked and agreed with the speech, and I liked and agreed with (some) of A1’s and delacrat’s insights.
“That’s Americaaa-a to mee-eeee!”
you know what anon. you’re right. you win. happy?
I’ll be at cuteoverload.com until further notice.
Not all babies are cute. 😉
Garfield has gone to the dark side too.
“The reason Librals can’t get any traction is because someone ALWAYS has to shit in the cake batter, no matter what the topic is.”
point. set. match
Does that mean that Liberals only get Chocolate cake??