We pause for this Memorial Day to join in this refrain to those who gave their all to us so freedom we'd retain.

Memorial DayMay 25, 2007 -- Now through May 28, 2007-- Memorial Day Weekend.

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*support troops; support Bush oppose the left*

We pause for this Memorial Day
to join in this refrain
to those who gave their all to us
so freedom we'd retain.

For darkness they confronted
in preserving freedom's light,
we owe them more than we can pay
for giving more than life.

But lives they gave endure today
in hearts and souls and minds
of we who drink from freedom's cup
the fruits of freedom's vine.

(For smaller wmv and YouTube versions, scroll further down on this page.)

Memorial Weekend is not only a suitable time for honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice for us, but it's also a suitable time to thank those who have demonstrated, and are demonstrating, their courageous willingness to risk making the ultimate sacrifice for us. Therefore, from today through Monday, May 28, 2007, this page will be dedicated to serve both purposes-- to pay honor to those who made the ultimate sacrifice and to thank those still willing to face such risks for us and our posterity. If your browser won't play Windows Movie Videos, scroll-down for YouTube/Google video versions.

Additionally, for this Memorial Weekend, it's fitting to recognize the heroism and wisdom of Maj. Jeffrey Philip Toczylowski, a soldier who died in combat in November, 2005, but before doing so, left a message to speak to his countrymen after his death. Here's what I've written about his message:

That Third of November in Two-Thousand-Five
A Soldier named Jeffrey Tozylowski did Die
while selflessly serving that Freedom survive.
A Bronze Star arose from his Body that died,
but more than a Star from his Death did arise:
He left us a Posthumous Heart that Survives.

As "Toz" he was known by his Fam'ly and Friends
and Soldiers as one on whom all could depend
as one who ahead of himself would put them
whenever they needed on him to depend.
Though they know the meaning of "Posthumous Heart,"
it's fitting that others be told of his Heart.

On learning that one of such "others" perceived
the "Posthumous Heart" that by Toz was bequeathed,
his sister, named "Pam," to such one who conceived
the term expressed thanks for such sentiments weaved
in order that others could therefore perceive
what's meant by the "Posthumous Heart" he bequeathed.

When "Toz" chose the Duty of Risking his All,
he knew if the Angel of Death for him called
his Fam'ly and Friends and his Buddies would all
be helped if to them he could speak through his Pall,
and so, 'twas to them that from Death he would call
to tell them that Proudly he'd given his All.

The ways that he gave them this comfort in grief
were, first, before Death he made clear his belief
that "right" he was doing that others be free
and said, "If I die, no regret would I feel
except that no more could I serve in the Field,
and so I've arranged an event for the weal
for me Friends and Fam'ly and Comrades should feel."

"Instead of a Wake full of sadness and grief
a Party I've scheduled that mem'ries of me
with joy and affection be fondly retrieved
with comfort in knowing I died for Beliefs
familiar to Soldiers-- That 'Freedom's Not Free'--
and thus bought for others a chance to be Free."

The paraphrased quoting of Jeffrey is done
that justice to words he selected be done
in stating their gist as these stanzas are done,
but words can't do justice to deeds that he'd done
before he departed, so JeffToz DOT com
is where those who'd Honor his Mem'ry should come.

What started this effort to justly describe
his deeds and his message for countrymen's eyes
were knowing his Hope to enable those eyes
to see what he saw in the mind of his eyes
and knowing the Message he left for our eyes
deserves being answered with earnest replies:

Though you weren't a soldier in-person we'd known,
you stood with the best of the soldiers we've known.
Our posthumous thanks by tradition are given
to Soldiers for Lives that for Freedom they've Given,
but You spoke to us through what Death would enshroud
to posthumously say of your country you're proud.

Your thinking of others has comforted hearts
for leading their lives when from you they're apart.
You've thus earned a place that's unique in our hearts:
A Hero who's left us a Posthumous Heart.
And so we must strive to be worthy "in deed"
of Gifts that from You through your Death we Received.

The "everyman" Private named "Ryan" perceived
such insights returning to Normandy's beach
by posing a question whose asking does teach
the answer to "What do we owe the Deceased?"
Asked "Ryan," "Please tell me the life that I weave
does Honor the Gift that from You I Received."

From whence do such heroes come? For what should we thank them? How should we thank them? Each of us must find his own way to answer these questions. Here are my thoughts on the subject in the form of a song I wrote titled, "Thanks In Our Name For Deeds In Our Name":

Thanks In Our Name For Deeds In Our Name

From farms in the country, from cities and towns,
from places quite humble, from places renowned,
from fact'ries, from stores and from offices tall,
from service professions, from stores in our malls,
come citizen soldiers their country to serve
as full time professionals or guard or reserve.

From mothers and fathers and husbands and wives,
from children and lovers and friends in their lives,
our citizen soldiers depart despite tears
on missions of danger in spite of their fears
as selflessly, proudly, and bravely they serve
that freedom of conscience and Faith be preserved.

In caves and in tunnels where murderers train
unspeakable terror they face in our name.
With principled discipline, training and skill
in taming the instinct to kill or be killed
our citizen soldiers have honored our name,
so, proudly we thank them for deeds in our name.

They serve in the skies, and at sea and on land,
in mountains and jungles and deserts of sand,
on foot and in foxholes, in trenches and tents,
in tanks and on submarine mission descents,
in planes and on ships and on carrier decks,
in Humvees, and hangars and convoys on treks.

For risks to themselves in their battles with terrors
increased by attempts to use force without error,
for risks to themselves they increase by providing
assistance to those who for freedom are striving,
our citizen soldiers have honored our name,
so thank them we must for their deeds in our name.

So we and posterity freedom retain
barbaric regimes you confront in our name.
To you who defend us, we proudly proclaim
our pride in the deeds you have done in our name.
We thank you, we thank you for deeds in our name,
We thank you, we thank you for deeds in our name.·

Several sound/video "demo" versions of this song in several sizes for several connection speeds are at http://PoliSat.Com/Thanks.htm.

Also, because there are a number of quite moving tributes to our troops available on other sites, I've included links to them below. Viewing each of them during the course of this Memorial Weekend would be well worth your time.

(Note-- Several tributes below were created by GCS Distributing but links to other sites displaying them are provided to avoid over-using GCS Distributing's bandwidth.)

Finally, the permanent page at PoliSat.Com where all the above tributes will be maintained is: http://PoliSat.Com/Memorial_Day.htm. (Permanent Link to this particular installment for the 2007 Memorial Day Weekend incorporating much of, and linking to, this page is here.); the Permanent Link to this particular installment for the 2006 Memorial Day Weekend incorporating much of, and linking to, this page is here.)

·support our troops, support Bush, support Cheney, support victory in Iraq, support victory in Afghanistan, Clinton Liebrary, http://PoliSat.Com , PoliSatDOTcom, Salute America's Heroes, Fallen Heroes Fund, oppose Gore's Global Warming theory, support milblogs, Michael Yon, Pat Dollard, BlackFive, MilBlogs, MilBlogging, Michael Yon, Mudville Gazette, HotAir.Com, JawaReport, PajamasMedia , VictoryCaucus , VetsForFreedom , FreedomsWatch , DayByDayCartoon , WrennCom.Com , Video , Political Satire, Politics, News, oppose MoveOn.Org, oppose Code Pink, oppose DailyKos, oppose ANSWER, support PoliSat.Com, support WrennCom.Com, ·

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