The following is a transcript of the remarks given by Maplewood Mayor Vic DeLuca at the 2015 Maplewood Memorial Day ceremony at Maplewood Town Hall.
Good Morning.
On behalf of my Township Committee colleagues: Deputy Mayor Kathy Leventhal, Committeemen Jerry Ryan and Marlon Brownlee and Committeewoman India Larrier, I wish you a happy and safe Memorial Day.
Thank you Maplewood Memorial Post 10120 Veterans of Foreign Wars for sponsoring today’s parade and memorial service.
Memorial Day is one of our nation’s oldest and most significant holidays, a holiday that recognizes our shared American heritage. Like hundreds of thousands of people across this land, we take time today to honor the 1.3 million men and women throughout our nation’s history who sacrificed their lives so that we can live free.
These fallen heroes were ordinary people – fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters – who had hearts of steel. We shall never forget their courage, determination and their ultimate sacrifice to preserve and advance the values of peace, justice and liberty for generations to come.
In his 2015 Memorial Day message, President Barack Obama said, “No words can ever bring back a loved one who has been lost. No ceremony can do justice to their memory. No honor will ever fill their absence. But on Memorial Day, we come together as Americans to let these families and veterans know that they are not alone.”
We live in the greatest nation in the world because time and time again brave men and women selflessly gave of themselves to defend a way of life we all too often take for granted. We honor these fallen warriors best when we work to preserve and protect freedom and liberty that America promises for all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, income status and zip code. President Abraham Lincoln told us it was our responsibility to complete the promise of the founding principles of our nation.
Today we praise the warriors but we do not praise war itself. The men and women we honor on Memorial Day fought for peace in their time and for generations to come. Let us not forget the 1.5 million men and women now deployed on active duty around the world. May they remain safe and return to their families as soon as possible.
Looking out at this crowd I recognize the strength that we have as a people, strength built on our ability to live in harmony, celebrating our diversity while sharing a common bond. And take a moment to look at the young people among us; this is the promise of America. Let’s us commit to them and to their future children that we will do what it takes now to end conflicts and violence throughout the world.
This Memorial Day we honor the men and women of the armed forces who sacrificed all to defend our way of life. We remember them, thank them and their families, and commit to them that we will work for a better and safer world for all.
Thank you very much.
Victor DeLuca
Mayor of Maplewood, NJ
