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Greetings and Blessings everyone ~ Thank you for gathering together with us at ONAC Kautantowit's Mecautea today, we are truly honored that you're here and too, that you are going to partake in the celebration of this most important of a day

Memorial Day!

It is truly a very personal Honor to stand before you on this special day and have the ability to share with you exactly Why Memorial Day is such an Important "holiday" to be sharing with you, Especially as Kautantowit's Mecautea, which most of you well know means Great Creator''s Warrior Soldiers whom fight off evil and the enemy...

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 We are blessed to have Many heroes among our Kautantowit's Mecautea tribal family, still with us as well as who have passed. We begin by taking a moment of silence Honoring those who are not able to physically stand among us today, including our relations and loved ones who have perished in the name of Liberty... men like Dr. Phillip Leveque... Jack Herer, John Trudell, and y own father as prime fuels to the Kautantowit's Mecautea fire. Without them and brave men like them, we wouldn't be freely able to come together and even pay tribute for they and there sufferings and sacrafices for our best benefit as the ones they love.

 

 THAT in the long story short of it ladies and gentlemen, is EXACTLY what this days events and among the Glory of Kautantowit's Mecautea... to emphasize that we are and should be geared toward - honorably celebrating and showing our Thanks for ALL the warriors who have rose, stood as well as fought and secured what freedoms we as human beings born upon this land still have to cling onto to date.

 

 Additionally, it is my Honor to offer these endless honorable words encouraging your thankful praisings honoring our veterans who are with us, and too, those whom have fallen in and beyond their days of battle as the noble heroes who gave the ultimate sacrifices for freedom as they have. After-all, it is They whom Freely contributed to something they considered priceless, the defense of America and the freedoms and liberties entitled us so that we may enjoy her.

For Kautantowit's Mecautea members, as we hope too for the whole population upon our land and globe, Memorial Day is much more than a three-day weekend welcoming in summer fun and bbq's... it marks the annual initiation of enjoying LIFE as free and happily as Great Creator willed and intends for us to... to appreciate as well as to give Thanks for All the beauty in bounty Mother Earth and Father Sky gift to us every year for nothing other than our benefit as well as enjoyment.

But as equally as important for us to do and also realize and have gratitude for is that Memorial Day is to be a day of reflection to remember the price of freedom.

 

 Every American owes a great debt to every man and woman that died while serving this country. There are privileges we enjoy each day that were preserved or gained by those who paid the ultimate price for our country and as Kautantowit's Mecautea it is of the up-most of importance that you know as well as have appreciation for their selfless sacrafice.

 if not for these brave men and women we would not be sitting here Enjoying the freedoms we enjoy as a result of the extreme sacrifice made by, and showing a little bit of gratitude and Respect for those we have left Isn't really all too much to be asked of you whom reap the rewards for their sacrifices... is it.

Though many do not Know, Memorial Day observance was begun during the Civil War, and sparked mainly by a small handful of women who elected to show their respect for ALL the dead by setting flowers upon their graves.

 

Memorial Day grew out of the human need to remember where we have been but focusing on those who gave their lives in effort of preserving ours. Most associate this day to the honoring of veterans, but fail to understand it was specifically observed in remembrance for those who fell dead in battle, and then secondary to honor the memory of those who fought in battle who have since passed and are no longer among us to be honored on Veteran's Day for their service and sacrifice.

 

Only by remembering where we and our ancestors journey began and has traveled will be then be able to start figuring out where we are going and Need to be going as the people of this land as well as for the sake of the whole of life living upon our globe.

 As even the gospel of John 15:13-14 so very pointedly reminds us why we have Memorial Day... The honoring and appreciation for the single-most greatest sacrifice our peoples heroes have offered on our behalf... honorably remembering the ones laying down and whom have layed down their life for another... our Mecautea!

 There are so many of our military who died in action believing they were fighting in the defense and preservation of our individual as well as our collective rights, liberties and personal freedoms.

 

 It is estimated that nearly a million of our country’s men and women have died in war – not counting those who died in the Civil War which Still can be only Guesstimated... for those of you whom don't know, it's the Civil War that is thought to be the bloodiest and most devastating war in all our lands war history... along with of coarse the "Indian Wars" which included many massacres Still also un-acknowledged by the masses.

The deep divisions that drove the Civil War still unfortunately prove to rock our nation’s foundations and functionability to this day, pitting brother against brother as did the Mason-Dixon line.Today is a day that Kautantowit's Mecautea call for the Stop of such division and instead encorae our peoples unification, for All of our sake including all living species of beings that dwell along with us upon this land.

 Today, Kautantowit's Mecautea encourage as well as command that we give freely the utmost of respect to ALL the soldiers who have given his life for freedom’s we've maintained to date, and too, that we also give our sincerest of Thanks to the families who have suffered because of their loved one's noble sacrifice for us all as well.

 

 As Native Americans, we should express great pride in their having served this nation in the military- these people who have more often than not found to be forgotten as well as betrayed by governmental policies despite the countless promises made to they and their relations for their honorable service.  

 Comfort our soldiers still with us, and too, the family members of those who are not, as today marks the reflection of a somber day a day reflecting those friends and faily members lost, comrades who gave the last measure for the cause of freedom. 

 

 Today is intended to steer us to grateful recall of those who have given themselves, shed their blood, and lay down their lives in military battle for the cause of freedom in our land and if we do Not remember them, then it is only a matter of time before we forget who we are and what they and our ancestor relations before the went through to get us where we are today, as free as we are.

 We must entertain each other in brotherly affection and we must continue to labor and suffer through the trying times together... for our future generations as well as for the honorable sake of our ancestor relations before us.

Working together, taking risks together, trusting one another in the trenches where cooperation is critical – saving lives – that brought the best of all he had experienced in military service to bear on a mission of which our true freedom can only be secured... these are but Some of the key lessons learned by our soldiers in which we the rest of the human species populations have yet to be learned,

 “How can we love our country and not love our countrymen?  And loving them, reach out a hand when they fall, heal them when they are sick and (help them to be) self-sufficient so that they will be equal in fact and not just in theory.”        (Ronald Reagan)

Some gave up their eyesight so you can see the beauty of freedom. Some of us gave up their hands and their arms so that you might hug or hold a loved one close. Some of our soldiers even gave up their legs so that you and I might walk the streets of our land secured in our freedom without having to have any fear.

 Our heroes who made it through the trenches and the battles of HELL, did so to remain a witness to the proclaimation of the honor of our fallen friends, wounded as they too were, though Thankfully nonetheless still here so that WE may Not Forget.

For many generations, my own ancestral relations stood willingly and prod alongg side the great many men and women Willing to answer the call on behalf of the whole of our nations population in effort of defending and preserving Our rights, freedoms and liberties as nobly as was possible for them to do. I am fortunate in that few of my ancestor relations fell while in battle, but the sacred glory is to br honored just the same.

 

 My father was the most honorable of men and soldier that I knew, having served first in World War 2, including 3 years and 10 months as a Prisoner of War (POW) to the Japanese, tortured and abused beyond descriptive measure, and then yet Willingly volunteering to do it all again if needed be by entering into the Korean Conflict. During Korea, my father acted as a N Diplomat, and after his sefvice in battle he continued to devote his time and efforts toward further protecting the people of our land both in the military as well as from within the Department of Defense as well. 

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 Today, our government declare such devotion as being "Terrorist", as they outcast and shun them of all the honor and respect they like y father earn and deserve. It's reprehensible and as far as Kautantowit's Mecautea is concerned Reprehensible on our government's part to do - truly SHAMEFUL. Because of this, we HIGHLY Encourage our members to do the Opposite and to show honor, respect and the gratitude owed our veterans today and DAILY, and We strive to do so as best as we collectively can.

  As native born American's, we as Kautantowit's Mecautea want to live in the kind of community and society, in a "country" and "nation" that binds people together – that makes another’s conditions our own – where people respect and entertain their neighbors with brotherly affection – where people give of their own free will for the sake of other’s  necessities –  where people labor and suffer together – so that when the eyes of the whole world are upon us we can say we are proud to be Honorable Americans!

 Let us begin our soul-searching with a simple question:  What is it about this country we love – this America we celebrate and honor? Let us make smoke and prayer on that one question concept alone and then set out to help accomplish it, starting right here on this day by taking the time to stop and say Thank You to a veteran who has served and or to a family of a veteran who served and sacrificed their literal Life for your and my freedom.

ONAC Kautantowit's Mecautea have  been about creating a place of brotherhood and grace and equality and compassion...  about  an engagement in faith and hope and honor and truth so to preserve as well as enhance that goal and aspiration among our societies.

 A sad reality is that there are many churches and faiths whom would stand Against such a concepted idea suggestion... believing that having boldly stood for the defense and preservation of our rights, lives and freedoms are somehow contrary to the will of Great Creator. Kautantowit's Mecautea know Better, and declare that ALL Churches should be glad to have their members celebrate Memorial Day, and too, that they should Highly Encourage their members to salute our veterans, and to pray with the intent of remembrance and thankfulness for All of each of their sufferings and sacrifices for we and our relations.

We should All pray for service men and women DAILY, both privately as well as from within our congregations... Especially as declared "Church houses of Creator!" All, including a soldiers honor is and was fashioned By the will and decision of Great Creator after-all. 

  “We shall be as a city set upon a hill….for this end we must be knit together in this work as one.  We must entertain each other in brotherly affection… we must be willing to abridge our selves of our superfluities for the supply of other’s necessities….we must make other’s conditions our own….we must labour and suffer together… the eyes of all people are upon us…” (from the sermon “A Model of Christian Charity” by John Robinson)

Thank You Veteran's....

 For your Noble and Selfless sacrafices on behalf of we and our beloved lands... May Great Creator "God" Bless YOU, your Failies, and too... may Creator bless America.  And may she find rest for her soul and Honor for her people. Thank you for your time, and for joining us to celebrate this day and honor our warrior relations... may you all go in a Good way and make Good Medicine as you do - Blessings in abundance! 

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