November 11, 2019

Dear Neighbors,

Today, at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of the year, we honored our veterans at Village Hall; for their love of country and their courageous acts of selflessness to defend our freedoms and our American way of life.   Without their sacrifices, self-discipline and bravery, our nation would not continue to exist.

There are too many enemies around the world that would love to see the American experiment, started by our founding fathers fail.  They would love to see our Declaration of independence and US Constitution, documents that captures the God given rights of man and makes them the basis of our law and society, torn up so our influence of those values around the world will diminish and the tyrants can take hold.

Since our nation was born of a people who threw off tyranny, those among us we call veterans, were the ones who bravely put their own lives in jeopardy so those American ideals would be allowed to flourish.

In successive wars, it has been those American veterans, who with their allies, have defeated a tyrannical monarchy, ended slavery, vanquished imperialism, defeated fascism, collapsed communism in Europe and fights today against fanatical religious terrorism.

So today and every day, we citizens owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who have answered their nation’s call to duty. 

They say only 7.6% of Americans are veterans.  They are a very special people among us. 

The American veteran should be revered among all others for their noble acts.  Yet they are characteristically humble.  Some, we send into living hells, that we can’t imagine.  And those that come back are expected to take their place in society, as if they were studying abroad. 

We must do more for these special people.  They need our help.  Presently, 17 veterans a day commit suicide.  That is twice the suicide rate of the general population.  We must do more.

We can start in New Hyde Park by giving our veterans – of all ages, our respect, our appreciation our support and our love.

They are the best of New Hyde Park and we will forever be in their debt.

 

Sincerely,

Lawrence J. Montreuil

Mayor, Village of New Hyde Park

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