Commissioner Jo-Ann Golden gives tribute to our fallen soldiers

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I am truly honored to speak on this Memorial Day in the presence of all of these fallen heroes. I am extremely proud to be in the presence of many of our residents who have served in the armed forces of our nation and are here today to pay their respects to those men and women who perished in the fulfillment of their duty.

During the Second World War my father worked in the shipyards in Brooklyn New York in service to our Country. My uncles served in the Army and Navy. My older cousins served in Korea. My Mom was an air raid warden and I hid under the kitchen table when there was talk of imminent bombings. As I got older I watched my friends go and come back from Vietnam. I worked for peace, and came to understand St Augustine’s 4th Century claim, that “the purpose of war is peace.” I was always hoping that all our wars would ultimately bring solutions and that peace would be the ultimate norm.

Today, as we honor those who served our Nation, we must remember that it is “we the people” who have asked them to fight our battles. The men and women of the armed forces do not get to choose the battles to fight. They serve because it is their duty. They serve because they are true patriots. For the 230 years of U.S. history we must think of all the brave men and women who have served during our many wars keeping us safe in this land of the free.

In 2007 the City of Lake Worth Commission passed a resolution asking our leaders in Washington to bring our troops home from Iraq. At that time over 160 Florida service men and women were killed in action and more than 130 were wounded. This past year one of our own Lake Worth High Graduates 19 year old Jose Hernandez was killed in Afghanistan. We asked in this resolution that our returning troops be ensured compensation and care including full mental and physical health, education, housing, employment, and disability and rehabilitation benefits.

Today there are more conflicts and the deaths continue to mount. Historian, Will Durant, estimated that in all of human history only 29 years could be described as free of war. And of all centuries, the one just past set records for deaths, and injuries. We must assure our service men and women that we do not falter in our support for them. We must assure our service men and women that we do not put them in harms way frivolously. We must reassure our service men and women that we will honor their bravery, and humility. This is our duty.

Thank you to the Boy Scouts, the American Legion, our City staff, and all of our residents and guests who have come out to honor those who have served our Nation.

Vice Mayor Pro-Tem
Jo-Ann Golden
Pinecrest Cemetery
May 30, 2011