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Presidential Citizens Medal Recipient Raymond Weeks
Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Citizens Medal to Raymond Weeks at a Veterans Day Ceremony
November 11th, 1982
The President. Good morning, and welcome to the White House. This morning we're honoring an American patriot, Raymond Weeks, of Birmingham, Alabama.
For more than 50 years, Mr. Weeks has exemplified the finest traditions of American voluntarism by his unselfish service to his country. As director of the National Veterans Day Celebration in Birmingham for the past 36 years, Raymond Weeks, a World War II veteran himself, has devoted his life to serving others, his community, the American veteran, and his nation. He was the driving force behind the congressional action which in 1954 established this special holiday as a day to honor all American veterans.
It's a pleasure for me to present Mr. Weeks the Presidential Citizens Medal, given to those who have made outstanding contributions to their country. And, Mr. Weeks, in honoring you, we honor the ideals that we hope to live up to. Your country is mighty grateful for what you've done.
Mrs. Weeks, I'm going to hand you the case, because I can't do this with one hand. [Laughter]
[At this point, the President pinned the medal on Mr. Weeks.]
Mr. Weeks. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you on behalf of the combined veterans associations [applause] .
The President. Ray, thank you so very much. Please sit down here.
It is fitting that we pay tribute to Mr. Weeks on this day when we remember the sacrifices of those who donned this country's uniform and did their part to protect our freedom and independence. Words alone cannot express our gratitude to the brave men and women who took on the task of protecting our country from foreign threats and aggression.
President Coolidge once said, "The Nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten." Nothing is more important to the soul of America than remembering and honoring those who gave of themselves so that we might enjoy the fruits of peace and liberty. And that is the spirit of this special day and of this coming Saturday, when the Nation will dedicate the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, a tribute that is long overdue.
For too long, America closed its heart to those who served us with valor. It's time that Vietnam veterans take their rightful place in our history along with other American heroes who put their lives on the line for their country. Certainly, mistakes were made. But the reality of Vietnam today-massive prisoner camps for torture and political indoctrination, hundreds of thousands of boat people sacrificing everything and risking a painful death to flee Communist oppressionall this suggests that the cause for which our Vietnam veterans fought was an honorable one.
This Saturday, America will put behind us the ingratitude and injustice of the past. We'll move forward in the spirit of Abraham Lincoln, who in 1865 said: "Let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."
And although we'll be putting the divisiveness of Vietnam behind us, we will not forget those who are still unaccounted for. Today I renew my pledge to the families of those listed as missing in action that this nation will work unceasingly until a full accounting is made. It's our sacred duty, and we will never forget them.
Along with Raymond Weeks, I may be one of the few people in this room who remembers when Veterans Day was called Armistice Day, commemorating the armistice that ended the First World War on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the year in 1918. And I might add, I not only remember when it was called that day, I guess we may be the only ones that were on the streets in the wild celebration of the first and actual Armistice Day when it was signed.
Armistice Day honored those who gave their lives in "the war to end all wars"a day of hope that they had not given their lives in vain. But within a few years, and in spite of an impressive effort on the part of the Western democracies to limit arms and to outlaw war, aggressors rearmed and war came again. Ironically, Armistice Day was made a legal holiday in the United States in 1938, just 1 year before a second and more terrible conflagration swept across Europe.
Winston Churchill labeled it the "unnecessary war," because he said there never was a war more easy to stop. And no man had more right to say that than Winston Churchill. He had fought the illusions that led to war, pleaded with his countrymen to recognize and arm against this expanding totalitarian war machine, pleaded with his countrymen to be strong and to have courage-not because he wanted war, but because this was the only way to preserve peace. Yet, for all this, Churchill was castigated as a warmonger.
Even after war broke out in Asia and in Europe, our own country was slow to take the steps necessary to defend itself. Warning us of the impending crisis, a young Harvard student, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, wrote a book titled "Why England Slept."
His thoughtful study holds as true now, 42 years later, as when it was first published. After describing how a dictatorship with a controlled press and the power to silence political opposition can carry on a vigorous arms program, he noted, "In contrast, in a democracy, the cry of warmonger would discourage any politician who advocates a vigorous arms policy. This leaves armaments with few supporters. Among the reasons for England's failure to rearm in time," Kennedy wrote, "probably the most important was a firm and widely held conviction that armaments were one of the primary causes of war." Well, the Western democracies didn't wake up till it was too late. It took Pearl Harbor to shake Americans from their complacency.
Today, in this era of much more dangerous weapons, it is even more important to remember that vigilance, not complacency, is the key to peace. This administration is committed to rebuilding our national defenses, which were permitted to erode during the last decade. We're now in the initial phases of that rebuilding, and we must continue to press forward in the years to come if we're to main. rain a credible deterrent.
But let the world understand: Our purpose is not belligerency, but respect; not conflict, but deterrence; and not war, but peace. None of the wars that I have mentioned, or others before them, ever came about because this country was too strong. We shall never flag in our pursuit of a more peaceful world.
Our goal is peacepeace that's achieved through a stable balance of forces, a mutual reduction of weapons, and a better understanding between the Soviet Union, the United States, and all nations.
Earlier today, we received word of the death of Soviet President Brezhnev. And I want to read to you, if I might, the letter that I have sent this morning to Vasiliy Kuznetsov, First Deputy Chairman of the Presidium in Moscow.
[At this point, the President read the letter, which is printed as the next item.]
Now, I've said for many years there are fundamental differences between the Soviet system and our own system here in the United States. But I believe our peoples, for all our differences, share a desire and a dedication to peace. On this day, dedicated to American veterans, we honor the brave men and women who have by their service preserved our liberty. Our parades are a celebration of freedom. Our banner is Old Glory, and we hold her high and proud. This is the legacy of the brave men and women that we honor today.
So let us go forth from here, having learned the lessons of history, confident in the strength of our system, and anxious to pursue every avenue toward peace. And on this Veterans Day, we will remember and be firm in our commitment to peace, and those who died in defense of our freedom will not have died in vain.
And, again, we thank the man who has made Armistice Day into this Veterans Day-Raymond Weeks. And thank you all for being here.
NOTE: The President spoke at 10:01 a.m. in the State Dining Room at the White House. The ceremony was attended by representatives of veterans organizations and administration officials.
NATIONAL VETERANS DAY IN BIRMINGHAM
The observance of National Veterans Day dates back to 1921 when an American soldier, his name known only to God, was buried on a Virginia hillside overlooking the Potomac River and the City of Washington. The burial site of this Unknown Soldier from World War I in Arlington Cemetery represented dignity and respect for America's veterans. Similar ceremonies had occurred earlier in England and France where an Unknown Soldier was buried in each nation's highest place of honor.
All of these memorial observances took place on November 11, giving universal recognition to the celebrated ending of World War I hostilities at 11:00 AM on November 11, 1918, the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. That day became known as Armistice Day and was officially recognized in America in 1926 through a Congressional resolution. Twelve years later, in 1938, it became a national holiday by similar Congressional action.
If World War I had indeed been "the war to end all wars", November 11 might still be called Armistice Day. But shortly after the holiday was proclaimed, World War II broke out in Europe and shattered the dream of world peace. Over 16,500,000 Americans took part in this conflict, and 406,000 died. The families and friends of those lost in World War II wanted a way to honor their memory as the nation had done in 1926.
In Birmingham, Alabama, an energetic, patriotic citizen conceived the idea of establishing a day to honor the veterans of all wars in which the United States had been engaged. The man who conceived the idea and served as Director of the Birmingham National Veterans Day program for 38 years was Mr. Raymond Weeks.
Armed with a very persuasive argument to support his plan, Mr. Weeks headed a small delegation to Washington to present the proposal to General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was then serving as Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army. With a favorable reception from the General, Veterans Day was adopted and the first Birmingham celebration was held on November 11, 1947. For a period of seven years, the Birmingham Committee, along with members of government and veterans organizations across the nation worked to officially change the name of Armistice Day. Legislation was proposed by Congressman Edwin K. Rees of Kansas and in 1954 President Eisenhower signed a bill proclaiming November 11 as Veterans Day and he called for Americans everywhere to rededicate themselves to the cause of peace.
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Citizens Medal History
