‘An honor and a pleasure’ Former Vietnam War nurse speaks at Memorial Day gathering

Rocky Mount Mayor Sandy Roberson spoke about Memorial Day being one of the most sacred observances of the American life and one carved out for honor, gratitude and reflection for those who never made it home.

“Every generation of Americans has been called upon to defend liberty, from the beaches of Normandy to the mountains of Afghanistan, from the forests of Europe to the deserts of the Middle East — brave Americans answered that call with extraordinary courage,” Roberson said.

“Many of them were young, many had their whole lives ahead of them, yet they understood something timeless: That freedom is precious and preserving it is worth the sacrifice,” Roberson said.

“As Americans, we sometimes move so quickly through our daily lives that we forget how extraordinary our freedoms truly are: The freedom to speak openly, the freedom to worship freely, the freedom to vote, to dream, to disagree, to pursue opportunity,” he said.

And he said that, “These freedoms did not happen by accident. They were defended by generations willing to stand in harm’s way for people that they would never meet.”

Roberson said he believes that is the true spirit of Memorial Day.

Roberson also said that he believes at a time when the nation often feels divided, Memorial Day is a reminder of something greater than politics and greater than differences.

“We are Americans,” he said. “The men and women we honor today did not give their lives for a red America or a blue America. They gave their lives to the United States of America and because of them, our flag still waves. Because of them, democracy still endures. Because of them, hope still rises.”

The local Memorial Day ceremony is organized by the Joint Veterans Committee of Nash and Edgecombe counties, which is composed of veterans organizations locally.