¶

A SALUTE

TO THE

¶ GREATEST NATION ¶

IN THE WORLD

THE UNITED STATES

¶ OF AMERICA ¶

 

An

Inspirational and Motivational Program

To

Teach Our Children

The

True Meaning and Significance

Of

OUR AMERICAN HERITAGE

PRINCIPLES AND PATRIOTISM

 

Ninth to Twelfth Grade Program

 

______________________________________________________________________________________

 

Petty Officer Jim Cava, United States Navy Retired

_______________________________________________________________________

 

MY FELLOW AMERICANS

IF ONE - IF ONLY ONE

HONORABLE AND BRAVE PATRIOTIC AMERICAN

HAS SAVED US!

HAS SERVED US!  HAS HELPED US!

HAS SUPPORTED US!  HAS PROTECTED US!

HAS SUFFERED FOR US!  AND HAS DIED FOR US!

TO UPHOLD THE UNDENIABLE PRINCIPLES FOR WHICH WE STAND

AND TO DEFEND THE UNALIENABLE RIGHTS TO WHICH ALL PEOPLE ARE ENDOWED

SHOULDN’T WE BE FOREVER THANKFUL

TO OUR HONORABLE AND BRAVE PATRIOTIC AMERICAN?

 

MY FELLOW AMERICANS

HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS

OF HONORABLE AND BRAVE PATRIOTIC AMERICANS

HAVE SAVED US!  ARE SAVING US!

HAVE SERVED US!  ARE SERVING US!

HAVE HELPED US!  ARE HELPING US!

HAVE SUPPORTED US!  ARE SUPPORTING US!

HAVE PROTECTED US!  ARE PROTECTING US!

HAVE SUFFERED FOR US!  ARE SUFFERING FOR US!

HAVE SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES, THEIR LOVES AND THEIR POSSESSIONS FOR US! 

AND ARE SACRIFICING THEIR LIVES, THEIR LOVES AND THEIR POSSESSIONS FOR US! 

TO UPHOLD THE UNDENIABLE PRINCIPLES FOR WHICH WE STAND

AND TO DEFEND THE UNALIENABLE RIGHTS TO WHICH ALL PEOPLE ARE ENDOWED

 

THE FOLLOWING PATRIOTIC PROGRAM IS DEDICATED

TO THE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS

OF OUR HONORABLE AND BRAVE PATRIOTIC AMERICANS

 

 

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My fellow Americans

At this time, United-As-One, we shall reaffirm

The greatness of our country, the United States of America!

And the greatness that lives within each and every one of us!

To begin our patriotic program, please stand for our National Anthem

And remain standing as together we pledge allegiance to our country:

The United States of America

 

My fellow Americans

Please look at our flag and place your hands on your hearts?  

United-As-One

Let us sing:

♪ THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG

 

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That which is not loved - withers and dies!

Patriotism is love, support and defense of one's country.

 

American Patriotism is love for the Americans who founded our country

And the undeniable principles for which she stands:

 

 ¶ HONOR ¶

To Be Good

 

¶ LIBERTY ¶

To Be Free

 

¶ EQUALITY ¶

To Be One

 

¶ JUSTICE ¶

To Be Fair

 

¶ HUMANITY ¶

To Be Kind

 

American Patriotism is love for the Americans who uphold our principles

And love for the Americans who defend our country.

American Patriotism is loyal support for our very American principles.

And American Patriotism is defense of our country:

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

 

A principle is a fundamental truth

A guide for good behavior by which one directs one’s life.

Our American Principles and Values are one and the same.

Our American Principles show us the way:

To do - What is Right! 

To be - A Person of Good Character! 

And To be - All That We Can Be by Learning and Respecting!

 

Our American Principles and Honorable Americans are what make our country great.

Our American Principles and Honorable Americans are what American Patriotism is all about.

 

American Patriotism was the Honorable Spirit of our forefathers

Based upon an absolute moral belief in basic human rights

Upheld and defended with invincible determination

That forged a great nation, our nation.

It is that same spirit that remains the lifeblood of our country

And it comes from the heart and soul of a true American.

 

We hold these truths to be self-evident

That all people are created equal

That all people are made the same

With a Heart!  And a Soul! 

With a Body!  And a Mind!

That no one is better than you are

That you are no better then someone else

That it is wrong to bully someone else

That it is wrong to make-fun-of someone else

That all people are endowed by their Creator

With certain unalienable, natural, rights

That among these natural rights are:

 

¶ LIFE ¶

The right for all people to Live

 

¶ LIBERTY ¶

The right for all people to be Free

 

¶ And the pursuit of HAPPINESS ¶

The right for all people to be Happy

 

With the Declaration of Independence

Our forefathers proclaimed to the whole world their faithful trust

In the fundamental rights of all people

And a new and free nation was born, our country:

The United States of America

The Constitution of our country

The basic instrument of our government

And the supreme law of our land

Founded upon the essential rights of all people

Is the embodiment of democratic principles

With the promise that those essential rights

Will be respected and protected.

 

To quote our Sixteenth President

This is what that great man said to us in his famous Gettysburg Address

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania - November 19, 1863

“And that government

Of the people

By the people

For the people

Shall not perish from the earth.”

                                                                        - Abraham Lincoln, Sixteenth President (1861-1865)

 

Let's hear it for

Our Sixteenth President - Abraham Lincoln

 

The United States is:

The land of the free and the home of the brave

And truly the greatest nation in the world.

 

♪ WE HONOR YOU AMERICA

 

 

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American Patriotism is respect-for that which is Right:

Respect-for that which is Correct!  Proper!  Decent!  Honest!  And True!

 

Respect is a most meaningful part of life.

               To respect someone or something means:               

To think of someone or something as - Honorable!

To think of someone or something as - Very Important!

And To give that someone or something - Special Attention!

 

American Patriotism is respect-for:

Our country - The United States of America

And the symbol of her glory and all that she stands-for, our flag - The Star Spangled Banner

American Patriotism is respect-for:

Your Loving Parents

Your Devoted Principal and Teachers

Commendable Veterans

Dedicated Police Officers and Fire Fighters

Dependable First Aid and Ambulance Personnel

American Patriotism is respect-for:

The Mentally and Physically Challenged

Younger Americans and Senior Citizens

Honest Workers and Selfless Volunteers

American Patriotism is respect-for:

Yourself by being - A Person of Good Character!

 

American Patriotism is realizing:

You are the highest of all creation!

“A-Number-One”

Made perfectly!

With a Heart!  And a Soul! 

With a Body!  And a Mind!

American Patriotism is realizing:

You possess the greatest treasure on earth

“The Gift-of-Life”

Born exquisitely! 

With Virtue!  Intelligence! 

And Potentiality! - Your very own Exceptional Power!

American Patriotism is realizing:

You are a Person! 

You are Somebody!  You are Special!

You are Important!  You are Great!  You are an American!

 

American Patriotism is believing: In your country and in yourself!

Being-responsible-for: The things you say and do!

Being-thankful-for: Who you are! 

And Taking-hold-of: Your power!

 

American Patriotism is Trying-your-best:

To do - What is Right! 

To be - A Person of Good Character! 

To be - All That You Can Be by Learning and Respecting?

To see - Your American Dream come true! 

And To feel - Pride in your Country and in Yourself!

 

American Patriotism is realizing:

Smoking cigarettes will damage - Your Healthful Life!

Drinking alcohol will devitalize - Your Powerful Life!

Using violence will destroy - Your Precious Life!

Taking drugs will devastate:

Your Healthful Life!  Your Powerful Life!  Your Precious Life!  Your Only Life!

 

American Patriotism and values are one in the same.

American Patriotism is a moral code of conduct - an unmistakable way to build character.

American Patriotism in all actuality is a lifestyle of values - a good and worthwhile way of living.

                                                                                                          

To quote our First President:  

A great leader, soldier, statesman and father of our country

 “Let us raise a standard

to which the wise and honest can repair;

the rest is in the hands of God.”

                                                                            - George Washington, First President (1789-1797)

 

Let's hear it for

Our First President and the father of our country - George Washington

 

So be a patriot

Help renew patriotism and Increase Americanism as a Patriot

In you, in every one of you lie: America's future! ¶ America’s destiny!

 

 ♪ AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL

 

 

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My fellow Americans

We shall never, never, never forget

Our many Honorable and Brave Patriotic American men and women

Made-up of all races, colors and creeds

Who have given and who are giving unselfishly of themselves in service to our country!

To save us!

To help us!  To support us!  And To protect us!

To protect our basic rights and the basic rights of all people!

And To defend our country and the principles she stands-for!

To all who have bravely served and to all who are bravely serving our country with honor! 

We are eternally indebted to them and we shall forever hold their patriotism in esteem.

Would the Honorable and Brave Patriotic Americans present who have served or who are serving-in:

The Armed Forces and/or the Public Safety of the United States, please come forward?

My fellow patriots as you present yourself, please state:

Your name - your rank and your branch and/or department of service as I do:

Jim Cava, Petty Officer Third Class, United States Navy Retired

 

Standing before us are no ordinary Americans - They are special Americans.

They are special Americans:

Because they have bravely served (and are bravely serving) our country with honor!

They are special Americans:

Because they have given (and are giving) unselfishly of themselves in service to our country!

They are special Americans:

Because without Honorable and Brave Patriotic Americans like them our great country would not exist!

Let us show our respect

To our true American Patriots ¶ To our true American Heroes

With a big heartfelt round of applause

Our fellow Americans / Our fellow Patriots

We all thank you for your love, support and defense of our country:

The United States of America

 

Let us now show our respect

To all our true American Patriots ¶ To all our true American Heroes

Not professional baseball players - football players - hockey players - tennis players

Basketball players - golfers - not boxers and wrestlers - not movie stars - not rock stars

But our true American Hero’s

Who have bravely served and who are bravely serving our country

In the Armed Forces and the Public Safety of the United States

With a big heartfelt round of applause after I sound off each branch and department:

 

Let's hear it for:

THE UNITED STATES NAVY     ♪ ANCHORS AWEIGH

THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS     ♪ THE MARINES HYMN

THE UNITED STATES ARMY     ♪ THE CAISSONS GO ROLLING ALONG

THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE     ♪ THE U.S. AIR FORCE

THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD     ♪ SEMPER PARATUS

THE UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINES

THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD

THE AIR NATIONAL GUARD

THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OF THE UNITED STATES

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OF THE UNITED STATES

THE FIRST AID AND AMBULANCE CORPS OF THE UNITED STATES

TO ALL THE AMERICANS WHO RISK THEIR LIVES EVERYDAY FOR OUR COUNTRY

AND TO ALL TRUEHEARTED AMERICANS

 

 

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Loyal and selfless

Our Honorable and Brave Patriotic Vietnam Veteran answered the call-of-duty

And defended the unalienable rights to:

Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness

For the good people of South Vietnam

When our Honorable and Brave Patriotic Americans returned home

There was - No welcome home.

Undesirable - unpatriotic - unappreciative citizens

Dishonorably displayed their indifference

And with total disrespect

Our Honorable and Brave Patriotic Vietnam Veteran was cursed-at and spit-upon…

 

Are there Honorable and Brave Patriotic Vietnam Veterans present, please stand?

(Are there family members of Honorable and Brave Patriotic Vietnam Veterans present

Please stand in respectful representation?)

 

¶ HONORABLE VIETNAM VETERAN ¶

Honorable Vietnam Veteran  

Your character is irreproachable and your valor uncommon

You are the quintessential Soldier, Sailor, Airman and Marine of Liberty and Justice.

 

My fellow Americans

Let us show our respect to our Honorable Vietnam Veteran  

To our true American Patriot ¶ To our true American Hero

With a big heartfelt round of applause

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And now a tribute:

To our Honorable and Courageous Patriotic American Woman

She has served and continues to serve our country with steadfast devotion

Not only in the Armed Forces and Public Safety of the United States but also in civilian life.

Through her bounty of abiding strength and gentle courage

She has mothered and safeguarded:

HONOR ¶ LIBERTY

EQUALITY ¶ JUSTICE

And most assuredly HUMANITY

Let us show our respect

To all the Honorable Women who have served or who are serving-in:

The Armed Forces and/or the Public Safety of the United States

To our true American Patriots ¶ To our unsung American Heroines

With a big heartfelt round of applause

Let us show our respect

To our Honorable Gold Star Mothers

To our Honorable Gold Star Wives

To all the Honorable Women who have worked or who are working-in:

Our Public Education, Our Public Services

Our Ladies Auxiliary, Our American Red Cross, Our USO

Our Special Services, Our Defense Department and/or Our Defense Plants

To all the Honorable: Mothers, Daughters, Sisters, Nieces, Wives and Girlfriends

Of American Servicemen and Public Safety Personnel

To all our Honorable and Courageous - Gracious and Incomparable Patriotic American Women

Thank you - Thank you - Thank you

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My fellow Americans

Please place your hands on your hearts for the singing of:

 

♪ TAPS

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