Veteran's Day Tribute

Hi all,
This morning I was filled with American pride to speak before over 1,500 students who are here in New York City taking part in Veteran’s Day. "The Band of Pride Tribute" concert led by Dr .Kenneth Dye, musical director of The University of Notre Dame took place from 7:30am-9am on Thursday, November 10th at Duffy Square in the heart of New York City's Times Square, as a way to jump start the day of remembrance and patriotism. Many of the students who performed will proudly march, on Veteran's Day, in the 92nd NYC Veterans Day Parade along its historic Fifth Avenue Route in New York City.

This morning I shared with them how easy for me to turn to hatred in response to my son Jonathan being killed on 9/11, but I don’t even like the word ‘hatred’. I like the words ‘education’ and ‘enlightenment’. We need to provide education about 9/11 for all young people so they can learn what happened on 9/11 and how to make tomorrow a better day. I think we should not be afraid to talk about radical Islamic fundamentalists and we should understand that they do not represent the millions of Muslim people around the world who do not support acts of terrorism. Tomorrow on Veteran’s Day when you step off and play your first note on your instruments, play it loud and the best you have ever played - many will be listening like these behind me in uniform, and those who are deployed around the world, those who have been wounded and for those who are no longer here with us so they can hear you to.

God bless you, God Bless our men and women in uniform and yes God Bless America.
Lee