The Patriot Factor: heroes

Showing posts with label heroes. Show all posts

Friday, June 6, 2025

Saturday, December 7, 2024

December 7, 1941

“A day that will live in infamy.”

Remember them always. Brave heroes all.

Sunday, September 11, 2022

On 9/11

21 Years Ago...

The Day America Came Together As One.

Never Forgive...Never Forget.

2,996 Heroes Born...2.996 Heroes Died.

Honor And Remember Them All Or It Could Happen Again.

Monday, June 6, 2022

June 6, 1944...to those who served, to those we lost,

to those still with us...heroes all...a grateful nation...

a grateful world...says thank you.

Saturday, May 28, 2022

Op-ed:

On Memorial Day...and Always
By: Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / Right Side Patriots / Right Side Patriots Radio

Monday is Memorial Day* and while many will go to the beach or enjoy a hearty barbecue, let’s not forget the real reason for this most special and solemn of days…a day to remember and honor those who put their lives on the line for our beloved country…a day to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for a purpose they believed was greater than themselves…a purpose of keeping ”We the People” safe and free at home.

And while political battles continue in D.C. and across the nation, Memorial Day offers us the chance for all Americans…no matter our race, creed, color, religion, party affiliation, or whether this president is our president of choice…to unite together and remember the one thing we all we have in common...gratitude... gratitude for those who served…gratitude for the brave men and women who proudly wore but sadly died wearing our nation’s uniform…gratitude so that we can go to that beach and can enjoy that barbecue.

On Memorial Day there should be no hyphenated Americans (nor should there ever be)…just Americans bowing their heads together in prayer as the flag of these United States is raised throughout this great nation, and then as it's solemnly lowered to half-staff. On this day let us remember the more than one million American patriots who gave their lives in service to this country. And when the flag is once again raised high at noon we must also remember to not allow their sacrifice to be in vain for a nation that forgets its true heroes is a nation that loses its soul.

Memorial Day is a day when we should teach our children the importance of the sacrifices made by so many to ensure their freedoms and the freedoms of generations to come.

Memorial Day is a day when many Americans will visit cemeteries or memorials nationwide to place small flags at the base of the headstones of the fallen to let them know they are not forgotten nor will they ever be.

Memorial Day is a day to honor the remains buried at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for while he, brave soldier whomever he may be, is home resting on American soil he is not with his loved ones, but serves as a reminder of the many who never made it home, and should remind us that there are still some left behind who must be brought home.

Memorial Day is a day when the Pledge of Allegiance should take on a renewed meaning, and should reawaken in us all the realization that we do live in the greatest nation the world has ever known, and remind us that some things are indeed worth both fighting and dying for.

Memorial Day is a day to honor courage for while those lost in battle knew fear, they sacrificed with courage of heart and strength of conviction, something that must never be forgotten for without knowing fear there can be no courage and without courage there can be no victory. Those who gave all deemed their love of country and duty to freedom were of greater value and more important then the fears they faced in dying.

Memorial Day is a day to also honor the very freedoms those lost in battle gave to each and every one of us…the freedom we have in our beloved America to act, speak, and think as we so choose without hindrance or restraint…a freedom we intend never to lose…a freedom we will fight for with just as much passion, dedication, determination, and courage as those who sacrificed before us…for we will not allow their sacrifice to be forgotten nor will we allow our freedoms to be taken away.

No…we will never allow their sacrifice to have been in vain.

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* Author's Note...I was asked to rerun my Memorial Day article from 2018 once again. And to those who made the ”ultimate sacrifice”...Rest in Everlasting Peace brave warriors...your sacrifice will never be forgotten.

Friday, September 10, 2021

Op-ed:

Never Forget, Never Forgive

By: Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / Right Side Patriots / Right Side Patriots Radio

...And yet in my heart of hearts I still do believe that America will never truly be brought to her knees...she might stumble and fall a bit as we sadly are now bearing witness to...yet the fact remains that America will indeed survive because America must survive. And survive we will not just for us, the generation who lived the nightmare that was 9/11, but for future generations as well...that is as long as we put partisan politics and old hatreds aside and unite together to collectively become as one..."We the American People."...

Read entire article and see videos here.

Thursday, September 9, 2021

Op-ed:
Never Forget, Never Forgive
By: Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / Right Side Patriots on Right Side Patriots Radio

It's been 20 years...almost a generation...and yet to me and many others it seems just like yesterday.

And so as we approach this most sacred and solemn of days we now sadly see hovering over our country a fear that this horror might well be repeated. And while I and so many others still cry and pray for both dear friends and family lost and even for those we didn't personally know, September 11, 2001 will always remain the day America's heart was pierced as buildings fell, a plane crashed in a field, and we as Americans came together to collectively mourn. And mourn we did not only for those lost but for our country as well...for our beloved America was now and forever changed in the span of just one single day...a day when we saw and felt camaraderie... a day that now sadly finds us again being divided.

And for those of us who were forced by circumstances to suddenly grow up and leave childhood behind...for those of us who actually tasted the all-powerful and forever lingering smell of death...and even for those of us who were personally untouched by an event that should not ever have been…we all have ingrained within our consciousness images that haunt...images once unimaginable of destruction and death here on American soil...destruction and death that mingled together the blood of our fellow countrymen…images that have now become, for some, but a sad reminder of the evils that men do while believing their misplaced cause is both just and righteous.

But there are also images remembered of true heroes born...like Todd Beamer and his fellow passengers who turned two simple words, "Let's Roll," into our nation’s then newest battle cry...as well as images of true warriors lost...60 brave men and women in blue, 12 brave paramedics, and 343 brave firefighters including Father Michael Fallon Judge, the chaplain of the NYFD who passed away while tending to the wounded and dying...heroes and warriors gone in the mere blink of an eye.

And September 11th should always be remembered as the day when "hyphens" were dropped and "Old Glory" could be seen flying proudly everywhere across this great land as Americans came together to unite and stand undivided as one...Democrat, Republican, Christian, Jew, white, black, brown, yellow, red, and police blue...all joined together...all sharing the same sadness and pain. Yet now that feeling seems lost even though the happenings at "Ground Zero" in New York City, the Pentagon complex, and at a vacant field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania should remain sacred American holy grounds that forever help keep us all united in God’s embrace.

For how could those sacred grounds not be a uniting force when in their rich soil rests the souls of the 2,973 innocent victims...innocent victims who in their own right are heroes all…heroes who awoke so full of life and promise on a beautiful sunny and warm September day...yet 2,973 innocents destined by fate never to return home... never again to kiss their husbands and wives...never again to hold their sons and daughters or play with their grandchildren...mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and dear friends…2,973 innocent victims never to be forgotten by those they left behind…innocent victims now safe for all eternity never to be hurt again.

And as we approach another September 11th, know that we are embattled not just with enemies in far off lands, but with enemies within our own country as well...enemies who we are sadly allowing to not just take away our hopes and dreams, but our memories of that fateful and cruel September day.

And it's these very enemies within, via our misguided complacency, that have allowed our children's future to be selectively targeted with their erasing of America's past...9/11 most surely to be included. And without memories of our nation's past...ugly as some of those memories might be...we as a nation cannot truly become what we were destined by our Forefathers to be, for when American flags and statutes are ordered to be taken down, when the roll call of victims names is discouraged...9/11 victims, Benghazi victims, and those of our recently lost military heroes as well...9/11 becomes just another day in the calendar, and that is something we cannot nor must not allow to happen.

And with the "Freedom Tower" now reaching up to touch the sky where the "World Trade Center" once stood, a simple message in concrete and steel still tells the world that not only did America come back from the ashes...but that the spirit of camaraderie felt on that fateful day can once again be ignited within us...but only if we allow it to be.

And yet in my heart of hearts I still do believe that America will never truly be brought to her knees...she might stumble and fall a bit as we sadly are now bearing witness to...yet the fact remains that America will indeed survive because America must survive. And survive we will not just for us, the generation who lived the nightmare that was 9/11, but for future generations as well...that is as long as we put partisan politics and old hatreds aside and unite together to collectively become as one..."We the American People."

And the kinship of being one with America should be the main lesson learned from a sunny September day so many years ago...a day when the "spirit of survival" itself along with pride in our country was awoken in everyday Americans...Americans from all walks of life...Americans of every color and creed...the "spirit of survival" that must not now nor ever be taken away from "We the People' no matter what evils befall us, for by taking away that "spirit" you've taken away our country's very reason for being.

And so when we gather together to remember and honor the 2,973 victims of 9/11, let's also remember and honor the four victims of another 9/11... Ambassador Christopher Stevens, Information Officer Sean Smith, and ex-Navy SEALS Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods...four brave men who, too, made the ultimate sacrifice in a nightmare called Benghazi. And we should also honor the thirteen heroes who recently made their final journey home in caskets draped in American flags, for their sacrifice was made in Afghanistan, the very land where 9/11 actually began.

2,973 heroes, plus four, and now plus thirteen more. God Bless them all for they're finally "home" to be forever safe in "His" arms...never to be hurt again…never to be forgotten...always to be honored and to live on in our hearts...for by us honoring them...by us remembering them...both their memories and their life's history will live on.

And so I leave you with this, my prayer of sorts, "May God the Father bless our beloved America today, tomorrow, and always. And may our tears for those lost never stop flowing for to forget their sacrifice or to just relegate it to a place in our nation's history we no longer visit makes us no better than the uncivilized sorts who are the true enemies of freedom." And to that I say "Amen."

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For those who have sadly forgotten the true horrors of 9/11, this video '9/11: Ground Zero Underworld' shows not only the nightmare itself, but the personal side of the heroes who searched and died below Ground Zero in the immediate aftermath of the day that changed America forever.

This video from the History Channel gives a visual timeline of the most horrific event in our nation's history.

And lastly, below is what I consider to be the most powerful and memorable 9/11 commemorative commercial ever made...officially only run once...rightfully replayed via the internet countless times.

************************************************************************************* For more political commentary please visit my RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS partner Craig Andresen's blog The National Patriot to read his latest article, 20 Years and 20/20 Hindsight.

***************************************************************************************************
RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS...LIVE!

Tomorrow, Friday, September 10th, from 7 to 8:00pm EST, RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS Craig Andresen and Diane Sori present their Special 9/11 Tribute including 'Never Forget...Never Forgive'; and '20 Years and 20/20 Hindsight.'

Hope you can tune in to RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS on https://rspradio1.com. Click 'LISTEN LIVE' starting at 6:50 pm EST with the show beginning at 7pm EST.

Monday, May 25, 2020

Today is Memorial Day, a day to honor the fallen who made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our country free. Never forget them for to do so is to dishonor the memory of heroes.

Sunday, May 26, 2019

Op-ed:
On Memorial Day...and Always
By: Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / Right Side Patriots on American Political Radio

Tomorrow is Memorial Day and while many will go to the beach or enjoy a hearty barbecue, let’s not forget the real reason for this most special and solemn of days…a day to remember and honor those who put their lives on the line for our beloved country…a day to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for a purpose they believed was greater than themselves…a purpose of keeping 'We the People' safe and free at home.

And while political battles continue in D.C. and across the nation, Memorial Day offers us the chance for all Americans…no matter our race, creed, color, religion, party affiliation, or whether this president is our president of choice…to unite together and remember the one thing we all we have in common...gratitude...gratitude for those who served…gratitude for the brave men and women who proudly wore but sadly died wearing our nation’s uniform…gratitude so that we can go to that beach and can enjoy that barbecue.

Memorial Day is a day for prayers for those lost…a day for honoring their memories not just with tearful remembrances but also with a smile…a day to rediscover the meaning of what our military fights and dies for…our liberty, our safety, our individual rights guaranteed us under our Constitution, and the continuing American story of which we all play a part in.

So on this Memorial Day I will bow my head in solemn prayer and thank and remember those who made that ultimate sacrifice to keep our nation free…and pray to God that someday…”nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (Isaiah 2:4)

Someday…someday soon I pray, and may God Bless America today and always.

Copyright @ 2019 Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / All Rights Reserved.
(This article was original published last Memorial Day.)
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Please listen to the words of this most beautiful of songs...'Hallelujah Veterans Version' by Navy veteran Sailor Jerri...it will bring tears of gratitude to your eyes...gratitude that must never to be forgotten.

Friday, December 21, 2018

Op-ed:
Still So Far Away From Home
By: Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / Right Side Patriots on American Political Radio

In four short days Christmas will once again be upon us...the day when Christians the world over celebrate the birth of one small child...a child who forever changed the course of history...a child named Jesus...God's only Begotten Son.

And just mere weeks ago the last Hanukkah candle was lit...the "Festival of the Lights" it's called for Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple so very many centuries ago.

And yet what should be a festive time remains just another day for those in our military fighting in far off theaters of war.

So while the miles continue to separate these brave warriors from both family and friends, I hope they know that they are NEVER far from our red, white, and blue American hearts. And while I write these simple words of thanks for a job well done, the poem below best expresses the true feelings of gratitude "We the People" together have for those who fight to keep us safe and free at home.

So let we of the Christian and Jewish faith join together in prayer that maybe next year our brave warriors...heroes all...will be home safe on American soil...and that...from the Old Testament Book of Isaiah..."Nation Shall Not Lift Up Sword Against Nation, Neither Shall They Learn War Any More."

The Sands of Christmas

By: Michael Marks

I had no Christmas spirit when I breathed a weary sigh,

And looked across the table where the bills were piled too high.

The laundry wasn't finished and the car I had to fix,

My stocks were down another point, the Dolphins lost by six.

And so with only minutes till my son got home from school,

I gave up on the drudgery and grabbed a wooden stool.

The burdens that I carried were about all I could take,

And so I flipped the TV on to catch a little break.

I came upon a desert scene in shades of tan and rust,

No snowflakes hung upon the wind, just clouds of swirling dust.

And where the reindeer should have stood before a laden sleigh,

Eight Hummers ran a column right behind an M1A.

A group of boys walked past the tank, not one was past his teens.

Their eyes were hard as polished flint, their faces drawn and lean.

They walked the street in armor with their rifles shouldered tight,

Their dearest wish for Christmas, just to have a silent night.

Other soldiers gathered, hunkered down against the wind,

To share a scrap of mail and dreams of going home again.

There wasn't much at all to put their lonely hearts at ease,

They had no Christmas turkey, just a pack of MREs.

They didn't have a garland or a stocking I could see,

They didn't need an ornament--they lacked a Christmas Tree.

They didn't have a present even though it was tradition,

the only boxes I could see were labeled "ammunition."

I felt a little tug and found my son now by my side,

He asked me what it was I feared, and why it was I cried.

I swept him up into my arms and held him oh so near

and kissed him on the forehead as I whispered in his ear.

There's nothing wrong my little son, for safe we sleep tonight,

Our heroes stand on foreign land to give us all the right,

To worry on the things in life that mean nothing at all,

Instead of wondering if we will be the next to fall.

He looked at me as children do and said its always right,

to thank the ones who help us and perhaps that we should write.

And so we pushed aside the bills and sat to draft a note,

to thank the many far from home, and this is what we wrote:

God Bless You all and keep you safe, and speed your way back home.

Remember that we love you so, and that you're not alone.

The gift you give you share with all, a present every day,

You give the gift of liberty and that we can't repay.

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For more political commentary please visit my RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS partner Craig Andresen's blog The National Patriot to read his latest article Politics on Christmas? Yes…and for a VERY Good Reason.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************

RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS...LIVE!

Today, Friday, December 21st from 7 to 9pm EST on American Political Radio, RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS Craig Andresen and Diane Sori present their Christmas Special...'Still So Far Away From Home; 'Politics on Christmas? Yes…and for a VERY Good Reason'; and spread some Christmas cheer.

Hope you can tune in at: http://listen.samcloud.com/w/73891/American-Political-Radio#history...or on Tune-In at: https://tunein.com/radio/American-Political-Radio-s273246/

Sunday, May 27, 2018

Op-ed:
On Memorial Day...and Always
By: Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / Right Side Patriots on American Political Radio

Memorial Day is a day for prayers for those lost…a day for honoring their memories not just with tearful remembrances but also with a smile…a day to rediscover the meaning of what our military fights and dies for…our liberty, our safety, our individual rights guaranteed us under our Constitution, and the continuing American story of which we all play a part in.

So on this Memorial Day I will bow my head in solemn prayer and thank and remember those who made that ultimate sacrifice to keep our nation free…and pray to God that someday…”nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (Isaiah 2:4)

Someday…someday soon I pray, and may God Bless America today and always.

Copyright @ 2018 Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / All Rights Reserved.
_________________________________________________________

Please listen to the words of this most beautiful of songs...'Hallelujah Veterans Version' by Navy veteran Sailor Jerri...it will bring tears of gratitude to your eyes...gratitude that must never to be forgotten.

Thursday, December 7, 2017

Heroes all...honor them...remember them...always.

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Op-ed:

15 Years Later...Never Forget and Never Forgive

By: Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / Right Side Patriots

It's been 15 years...almost a generation...and yet it seems just like yesterday.

And on this most sacred of days…a day that should not now or ever be about politics or silly partisan bickering…I still cry and pray for both dear friends lost and for those I did not even know...for today is the day America's collective heart both died and then was reborn as buildings fell, a plane crashed, and America mourned. And we mourned not only for those lost but for our country as well...for our beloved America was now and forever changed in the span of just one day.

And for those of us who were forced to grow up and grow up fast on that fateful day...for those of us who actually tasted the all-powerful and forever lingering smell of death...and even for those of us who were personally untouched by the event that did not have to be…we have ingrained within our consciences images that haunt...images once unimaginable of destruction here on American soil...destruction that mingled with the blood of our fellow countrymen…images that have now become a sad reminder of the evils of men and what they do in the name of allah…allah the most unholy.

And today we also remember and honor true heroes born...the likes of Todd Beamer and his fellow passengers who turned two simple words, "Let's Roll," into our nation’s battle cry...and we remember true warriors lost...60 brave men and women in blue, 12 brave paramedics, and 343 brave firefighters including Father Michael Fallon Judge, the chaplain of the NYFD who passed as he was tending to the wounded and dying...all gone in the mere blink of an eye.

And September 11th will always remain a day to remember when hyphens were dropped and 'Old Glory' could be seen flying proudly everywhere across this great land as we Americans all came together to unite as one...Democrat, Republican, Christian, Jew, white, black, brown, yellow, and red...as we held each other close to try and shake away the shock and tears at the sheer horror of all those innocent lives lost...lost on a day when true demons from hell walked the earth in New York City, at the Pentagon, and in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Now and forever those places are sacred American holy ground forever locked in God’s embrace for in their rich soil rests the souls of the 2,973 innocent victims (let the 19 hijackers forever be damned to hell)...innocent victims and in their own right heroes all…heroes who awoke so full of life and promise on a beautiful sunny and warm September day...yet 2,973 innocents destined by fate never to return home...never again to kiss their husbands and wives...never again to hold their sons and daughters or play with their grand kids...mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and dear friends…2,973 innocent victims never to be forgotten by those they left behind… innocent victims now safe for all eternity never to be hurt again.

And here we are today sadly still at war with those demons…with those savages...for that is what they truly are…savages who pierced America's heart... America's soul...immoral savages who took away our once collective innocence but who could not and still cannot take away our hopes...our dreams...our resolution...our determination...and most importantly of all...our and our children's future.

And today as new buildings reach up to touch the sky to stand in the place of those fallen...a sign in simple concrete and steel signaling for all the world to see that America did indeed come back from the ashes...a sign that sends a loud and clear message that America will never surrender to evil...that America will not forget nor will she ever forgive the evil that befell us even as some of us have sadly become complacent and dare I say condoning of the very persons…of the very savages…that must not be allowed to walk upon the grounds of civilized men…savages that must not be allowed to set our or any nation’s agenda...and savages that must not be allowed to ever hurt the innocent again.

And as they tried and still try to kill us and to kill the spirit, the hope, and the dreams that is America...let it be known that America will survive no matter what evils befall us simply because America must survive ...now and forever...not just for us but for the future generations who will come after…generations who will come to know that on a beautiful September sunny day so many years ago a spirit was awoken in everyday Americans...a spirit of survival that can never be taken away from ‘We the People’ even though today's America is less safe than it was before the day the buildings fell.

And so on this most solemn of days as we remember and honor the 2,973 victims of 9/11, let's not forget the four victims of another 9/11...Ambassador Christopher Stevens, Information Officer Sean Smith, and ex-Navy SEALS Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods...four brave men who made the ultimate sacrifice in a far off nightmare called Benghazi…and that they too must also be forever part of our thoughts and prayers.

2,973 heroes plus four...God Bless them all as now they are ‘home’ forever safe in His arms...never to be hurt again…never to be forgotten...always to be honored ...and always to live on in our hearts... forever and a day.

May God the Father bless our beloved America today, tomorrow, and always…and may our tears for those lost never stop flowing for to forget their sacrifice or relegate it to a place no longer visited makes us no better than the uncivilized men who are truly freedom’s enemy. Amen.

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For those who have forgotten the horrors of 9/11 this is one of the best videos I've seen but it is not for the faint of heart.

https://www.facebook.com/Steve.Myers.III/videos/1014846618545804/?pnref=story

This video is from the History Channel and gives a great take on that day from those who were there.
http://www.history.com/topics/9-11-timeline

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