FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NOVEMBER 9, 2018
[TRIANGLE, VA.] United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:
“As we mark the 100th anniversary of Veterans Day this weekend, it is not enough to merely thank the millions of veterans who surround us in every community for their service to our country. We must honor their willingness to put their lives on the line to protect the very freedoms we hold dear.
“They protected our freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom to vote for the candidates of our choosing, freedom to support or criticize our leaders without fear of retribution and freedom to worship as we choose, to name just a few. They took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States and that is exactly what they did.
“On Memorial Day, we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for America. But we cannot let Veterans Day pass without pausing to reflect on what their sacrifice means to us, and how their loss will affect their families forever. Those of us who came home know that we might not have, which makes remembering our brothers and sisters who did not survive all the more painful.
“Veterans Day is a time of remembrance and giving thanks to those who had the courage and fortitude to defend us all. So let us bow our heads and say a prayer today for all our veterans, of whatever era. They have earned it, and so much more.”
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