This is what makes me proud to be an American

Yesterday was the 63rd anniversary of the D-Day invasion in Normandy, France by Allied Troops. I have been listening to the special presentation on XM Radio channel 4 (the Forty's station), and throughout the songs they have been playing actual news footage and speeches from the time of the invasion. It's really quite amazing, especially hearing it on the radio as my grandparents would have back then. Both of my grandfathers were in WWII, one in Europe and one in the Pacific. This time in our history means a lot to me because of their involvement and what they did for this country. Yesterday, XM broadcast President Franklin D. Roosevelt's D-Day prayer, and I must say, this something to read over and over again and think about often. Here is the prayer:

My Fellow Americans:

Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our Allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.

And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:

Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.

Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.

They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.

They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest -- until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war.

For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.

Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.

And for us at home -- fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas, whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them -- help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.

Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.

Give us strength, too -- strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.

And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.

And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. Let not the keeness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment -- let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.

With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace -- a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.

Thy will be done, Almighty God.

Amen.

Franklin D. Roosevelt - June 6, 1944

FDR is my favorite President. He did so much for the nation--getting us through the Great Depression with the New Deal, getting us through WWII, setting up Social Security, etc. I am honored to know that he said this prayer, not only for our troops, but for the American people--the families and friends of the soldiers fighting that day and throughout the war.

This prayer was to God from a simple Protestant man, not a minister, a priest or a Rabbi. This prayer was not just to God as the Protestant's know Him, but to God as the Catholics know him, the Baptists know him, the Jews know him. A prayer to God as Americans know him, no matter what they believe. This wasn't a prayer to discriminate against the Jews or the Muslims or the Atheists. This prayer was for the American people and the Allied troops fighting for our freedom and safety throughout the world. And you know what? No one complained. No one was offended. No one brought him up on charges of discrimination or sued him for public prayer. Everyone prayed with him. Everyone, as a nation, stood together with FDR in those few moments to think about our troops and what they were doing for us.

Today, FDR must be turning in his grave. Not just once, but over and over again. If he were alive now, he would be so distraught at what America has become. We're no longer the strong, proud nation we were in WWII. We're a bunch of whining yuppies who can't stomach a prayer now and again. We can't speak or think freely without looking over our shoulders to see who might be listening in or who might be offended at what we say. Our troops are dying day after day for a cause that we were led to believe was for our continued freedom, but has now become a mission to keep peace in the Middle East, not at home. Our rich are getting richer and our poor are getting poorer. And to think, illegal aliens are reaping the benefits from our social security system that was set up for us, for Americans, born and raised and for those who came to this country legally and worked their asses off to get jobs and yes, learn English!

Read the prayer again, and this time close your eyes, imagine you're sitting around the radio with your family and try to imagine what they were feeling back then. Go ahead. It won't hurt you. Prayer isn't bad. Sometimes it's just needed to boost our spirits, to comfort us in times of need and desperation. If you don't believe in God, than replace his name with Allah or whomever you believe in. In the end, the prayer is for all of us, for all time, especially then and especially now. This prayer should be read and said over and over again until our current conflict is over. Our men and women in the Middle East and abroad need it. Pray for them. Pray for America.

FDR's D-Day prayer is thanks to The History Place: Great Speech Collection.