[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 72 (Wednesday, May 3, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E946-E947]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                LOYALTY DAY IS A CELEBRATION OF AMERICA

                                 ______


                     HON. MARSHALL ``MARK'' SANFORD

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 3, 1995
  Mr. SANFORD. Mr. Speaker, Loyalty Day is a time for all Americans to 
challenge ourselves to capture the spirit of America, and to bring it 
to life in everything that we do. It is observed every May 1 as a 
celebration of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
  Loyalty Day was established by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. I am 
proud to pay tribute to the VFW and its members, both for the 
sacrifices that they have made in the service of their country, and for 
their dedication to the principles that made this country great. The 
State commander for the department of South Carolina, Keith Harper, has 
spent many years promoting American values. He is one of the finest 
Americans that I know, and I hope that every Member of this House will 
take the time to read his comments on Loyalty Day, and to join me in 
saluting the VFW for establishing this holiday.
                            Loyalty Day 1995

       Of all the holidays we celebrate in this country, none gets 
     less attention than Loyalty Day. Even Labor Day is better 
     known. So that's why I'm happy to be here today, to share 
     with you some thoughts on Loyalty Day and what this day is 
     all about.
       Unlike the 4th of July, it does not celebrate a specific 
     date in our history. Unlike Veterans Day, it does not 
     recognize a certain group of individuals. Unlike President's 
     Day, it does not honor some of our former Presidents. Unlike 
     Memorial Day, it does not ask us to pause and remember those 
     who did so much for our country.
       What it does is this: Loyalty Day is a celebration of 
     America. It's a celebration of life, liberty and the pursuit 
     of happiness. It's a celebration of what you are and what you 
     want to be.
       In a way, Loyalty Day is a challenge. It challenges each 
     and every one of us to capture the spirit of America and 
     bring it to life in everything we do. Loyalty Day is a trip 
     into the future.
       The Veterans of Foreign Wars take great pride in this 
     holiday. After all, we started it.
       During the dark days of the 1920's, when America was 
     wracked by the worst depression anyone had ever seen, many 
     Americans began to question our Government, our economy, our 
     politics, and our very way of life.
       And where there were people with questions, there were 
     Communists running around with their own kind of answers. 
     They say in our hard times, good times for them to overthrow 
     our Government.
       They were everywhere. They held meetings, they marched in 
     parades, they catered to the out-or-work and the hungry, and 
     they even tried to get American children to join their 
     Communist youth organizations, right here in America.
       The VFW fought back, our members had given too much, 
     suffered too much, and sacrificed too much in WWI to let a 
     bunch of Communists take America away from us.
       We held our own meetings, we helped our own out-of-work and 
     hungry, and we began to teach the children of this country 
     what America was all about.
       And on May Day we held our own parades. That was a day the 
     Communists had claimed as their own, the one on which they 
     celebrated their revolution. Well, we set things straight. We 
     made it an American holiday. And when the Communists paraded 
     down one street, we paraded up the next.
       On May 1st, 1930, we held a parade in New York City that 
     had 10,000 VFW and Ladies Auxiliary members in it. Over 
     100,000 people turned out to see it.
       And when the parade reached Union Square, there was a 
     patriotic rally, with speeches and dozens of bands playing 
     the Star Spangled Banner.
       Though wracked by depression, America at heart was alive 
     and well, and in the tough times that followed, each 
     celebration of Loyalty Day gave new hope that America would 
     survive. And as our VFW parades grew larger, the Communists' 
     parades grew smaller and smaller. Today they are completely 
     gone.
       In 1955, we asked Congress to proclaim Loyalty Day a 
     national holiday, and one of our members who was a Senator 
     from Pennsylvania introduced that legislation in Congress.
       In signing the legislation, President Eisenhower said, 
     ``The prime requisite for retaining our freedom is unswerving 
     devotion to the liberties embodied in our Constitution.''
       You who came here today are the kind of people he was 
     talking about. The kind of people who know what America 
     stands for and who take the time and make the effort to 
     support what America stands for.
       We meet here for one day to celebrate what we enjoy 
     everyday, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Those 
     are the ideals on which America was founded and for which 
     millions of Americans have fought to protect and preserve.
       We carry on that fight today. We fought communism on the 
     streets of America and on battlefields all over the world. 
     Along the way, we fought the Axis powers in Europe, and the 
     Japanese in the Pacific.
       We paid a high price for the liberty and freedom we enjoy 
     today. Yet, even as we meet here as free people in a strong 
     and powerful nation, the question hangs over us; who will be 
     our enemy tomorrow?
       Will they attack us on main street or from some foreign 
     location? No one knows. But one thing is
      certain, you and I will be the first line of defense. 
     Patriotism is the best weapon you can have in any battle, 
     and patriotism is based on knowing what your country 
     stands for, and believing in what it stands for.
       Abraham Lincoln described our American government as being 
     a government of the 
     [[Page E947]] people, for the people, and by the people. As 
     such, we determine our own future.
       You and I are some of the most important people in this 
     country. What we want today is what America will be tomorrow. 
     Washington does not tell us what we will be, we tell them.
       But as wonderful as it sounds, our government requires a 
     lot of work from each of us. And no one knows that better 
     than the mayors who are with us today. They are really on the 
     frontlines.
       If we want a drug-free society, we have to fight for a 
     drug-free society. Thinking about it won't make it happen.
       If we want a better education system for our children, we 
     have to fight for it. Thinking about it won't make it happen.
       If we want our American military to be the best in the 
     world and not be thrown away piece by piece in little battles 
     that serve no national purpose, we have to fight for it. 
     Thinking about it won't make it happen.
       Freedom and democracy require a lot of work from each of 
     us, and you do not have to wear a uniform or carry a weapon 
     to defend them. You just have to do what you're doing right 
     now, taking an active part in America. And to the mayors 
     here, I offer the full support of the VFW.
       That's the purpose and that's the message of Loyalty Day. 
     It's a day on which we discuss the future of America, and the 
     part each of us will play in reaching those goals.
       It's a day to take pride in yourself, our community, our 
     nation and our flag.
       And I thank you for taking part in our Loyalty Day 
     celebration. God bless you, and God bless America.
     

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