World War II memorial

Turns out the email below the asterisks is a hoax. Apologies for promoting a hoax, but it does raise a good issue. Christianity and a belief in God in general are under attack. Unfortunate some must resort to outright fabrication and distortion, the very things we oppose in the attack on Christianity and God, to raise the issue. Lesson: beware of well meaning email. --Decius, 19 Dec 05. ***** Email to Decius this morning (01Dec 05); re-posted here for your consideration:

"All:

I forward the below message, which was forwarded to me, about the name of God being edited out of Franklin D. Roosevelt's famous address to Congress of 08 Dec 41. This is the speech in which he announced a state of war existed with Japan as a result of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the previous day.

This is an issue of concern to me. I want you to know about it as well.

Sincerest regards, XXXX (name withheld by request) ----------------------------

SHALL WE HIRE A MONUMENT ENGRAVER TO GO TO THE WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL AND ADD THE MISSING WORDS?

A MESSAGE FROM AN APPALLED OBSERVER:

Today I went to visit the new World War II Memorial in Washington, DC. I got an unexpected history lesson. Because I'm a baby boomer, I was one of the youngest in the crowd. Most were the age of my parents, veterans of "the greatest war," with their families. It was a beautiful day, and people were smiling and happy to be there. Hundreds of us milled around the memorial, reading the inspiring words of Eisenhower and Truman that are engraved there.

On the Pacific side of the memorial, a group of us gathered to read the words President Roosevelt used to announce the attack on Pearl Harbor:

"Yesterday, December 7, 1941-- a date which will live in infamy--the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked..."

One elderly woman read the words aloud:

"With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph..."

But as she read, she was suddenly turned angry. "Wait a minute," she said, "they left out the end of the quote. They left out the most important part. Roosevelt ended the message with "'so help us God.'"

Her husband said, "You are probably right. We're not supposed to say things like that now."

"I know I'm right," she insisted. "I remember the speech." The two looked dismayed, shook their heads sadly and walked away.

Listening to their conversation, I thought to myself, "Well, it has been over 50 years. She's probably forgotten."

But she had not forgotten. She was right.

I went home and pulled out the book my book club is reading --- "Flags of Our Fathers" by James Bradley. It's all about the battle at Iwo Jima. I haven't gotten too far in the book. It's tough to read because it's a graphic description of the WWII battles in the Pacific. But! right there it was on page 58. Roosevelt's speech to the nation ends in "so help us God."

The people who edited out that part of the speech when they engraved it on the memorial could have fooled me. I was born after the war. But they couldn't fool the people who were there. Roosevelt's words are engraved on their hearts.

Now I ask: "WHO GAVE THEM THE RIGHT TO CHANGE THE WORDS OF HISTORY?"

Send this around to your friends. People need to know before everyone forgets. People today are trying to change the history of America by leaving God out of it, but the truth is, God has been a part of this nation, since the beginning. He still wants to be...and He always will be!

If you agree, pass this on. If not, MAY GOD BLESS YOU."