Newton residents gathered at a vacant lot along Main Street between 3rd and 4th streets Sunday to honor military service members at Newton Veterans Day Celebration.
The event, which was hosted by the City of Newton, Newton Chamber and local sponsors, gave residents a chance to reflect on the sacrifices made by veterans and hear from local leaders such as Mayor Murray Weems, Sen. Terry Burton and key note speaker Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Morgan, commander of the 1st battalion 204 Air Defense Artillery division in Newton.
“Today, all across our country in town halls, city squares, parades and places such as this, we celebrate and honor America’s veterans for the devotion, patriotism, selfless service and sacrifice on behalf of us all,” Morgan said. “We join hands in the name of peace and freedom to pay them proper tribute, to say thanks, for it is their loyalty to their country and their courage that has made us what we are today.”
America is the face of freedom and democracy throughout the world, Morgan said, and that is because of veterans, who put their own lives at risk to defend their country.
“Regardless of what branch of the military they served in, army, navy, air force or coast guard, this day belongs to all of them,” he said.
Morgan said the Town of Newton has been great to himself and the men and women under his command. He said he was honored to be asked to speak at the Veterans Day event and pledged to help the community in whatever way possible.
Mayor Weems, who delivered the opening remarks at Sunday’s event, said Newton residents owe veterans a debt for the freedoms they enjoy. He said even celebrations, such as honoring veterans on Veteran’s Day, might not be possible if it weren’t for the sacrifices made by those in the military.
“We do have a wonderful country we live in, and if it weren’t for the people like you, who serve and have served, we wouldn’t be able to do this,” said Mayor Murray Weems.
Senator Terry Burton also thanked veterans for their service, saying it was “right” to honor veterans on Veteran’s Day.
“It’s a pleasure to be here,” he said. “It is good, and it is right that we honor the veterans of America and those in Mississippi.”
However, Burton said, was disappointed to see only 40 or so people attend the event. A few years ago, he said, he was in London in Armistice Day, and saw over 10,000 people come out to honor the British soldiers who fought in World War I.
“It was an amazing sight, and I wonder sometimes, if our allies, if we can be thankful for our allies, can celebrate the way they do, then why we don’t have more people out here on a day like today,” he said. “It’s just amazing to me that we don’t have that same feeling of patriotism that we used to have, it seems. That’s a shame.”
Burton pledged to encourage more people to come out to celebrate veterans on Veteran’s Day and urged the crowd to do the same. And, he added, to veterans on behalf of himself, and those who couldn’t attend, “Thank you, thank you, thank you, and God bless the United States of America.”
