THE AMERICAN LEGION

DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIA

1601 7th. St., Sanger, CA 93657 (559-875-8387)

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THIS FORM MUST BE FILLED OUT IN TRIPLICATE

 

Resolution No.___________ Subject:_______________________________________

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RESOLUTION

WHEREAS,  one of the Four Pillars of the American Legion since its founding has been to support and creatively strengthen traditional American values,  one of which values is to honor and remember  the more than 1.3-million American veterans who have given their lives defending American freedom; and,

 

WHEREAS, the “21” Seconds, Military Sacrifice/ Remember the Fallen policy is such a creative way to strengthen Americanism as it calls on all Americans to remember and honor all those veterans who have given their lives defending America by pausing for 21 seconds of silence, at high noon on the 21st day of each month, to honor and remember our military fallen, including by lowering the Flag to half-staff; and,

 

WHEREAS, use of the number “21” in this 21st Century tribute by a 21 second moment of silence adds to its  importance because of the significance of the number 21 in our military history, including, among other manifestations: Our country has through its history performed military honors with a 21 Gun Salute; the military honor guard at the Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier marches 21 steps in one direction, pauses for 21 seconds, then executes an about face to march 21steps in the other direction; the numbers in the birth year of our country, 1776, add up to 21; the date of the worst attack on our American soil, 09/11/01, add up to 21; the USS Arizona Memorial has 21 windows (7 top, 7 left, 7 right); the 21 Seconds resolution was first presented publicly on the 9th day of the 12th month (i.e.,“21”) in 2013 at the National Commander’s Dinner at  District 21, Department of California; and,

 

WHEREAS,  Honoring our Nation’s Fallen Heroes in war 12 times a year increases the awareness of the general public of those sacrifices alongside Memorial Day each year; especially the nation’s young and immigrants new to the country, who are not aware that their American freedom is not free but has been preserved for them by the sacrifice of American veterans who have given their lives in war; it also gives solace to the Gold Star families who have lost loved ones who have sacrificed their lives; and,

 

WHEREAS, the Department of California adopted the 21 seconds resolution in different form and title,  i.e., as the 21 Seconds Remembrance Resolution, in 2014, and the Legislature of the State of California, following the American Legion Department of California’s lead, by unanimous vote in Assembly and Senate adopted the 21 Second Remembrance resolution sponsored by Senator Joel Anderson (R-District 38 [San Diego ), Senate Bill SCR-118, Chapter 120 (2014), urging all persons in California to pause for 21 Seconds of silence, and lower the Flag, at high noon on the 21st day of each month, to remember and honor veterans who have sacrificed their lives for freedom; and,

 

WHEREAS, This Resolution requires no funds, no budget, no fundraising.  The end result of that is no fiscal impact.  ZERO;  and,

 

 

 

WHEREAS, This Resolution gives our Nation as parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and more, that 1 day of a month, 12 times a year to speak to our children the lessons they are no longer seeing in our school’s education system.  In most cases more likely than not, these could be stories from Veterans who served in those families, with first hand realization of the sacrifices from the 1000’s of heroic stories from our Nation’s History. This is an extreme benefit of implementing the 21 Seconds, Military Sacrifice/The Fallen policy; and,

 

WHEREAS, This Resolution sends a  strong message of supporting our Military’s sacrifice, and  (we) as a Nation stand behind our Forefathers’ dream of this Nation by not allowing those whose interest is to limit our beliefs today, or change our Country’s founding principles.  This Resolution sends a message to all, that when you increase the level of Patriotism, Pride and Honor in our Country, you automatically annihilate those who wish to destroy it; and,

 

WHEREAS, information on the history and means of establishing and implementing the “21” Seconds, Military Sacrifice/ Remember The Fallen policy throughout our great nation is available to all at www.21SecondsNow.com, NOW THEREFORE BE IT

 

RESOLVED,  by The American Legion, Department of California, assembled in Convention on June 22-25, 2017 in Riverside, CA. that the American Legion should initiate and adopt a 21st Century policy calling for the Nation to honor our War Dead in the following ways:

 

(1) On the 21st day of each month, Americans shall have the authority to fly the Flag of the United States at Half Staff in remembrance and in honor of all those who have given their lives in military service in war.

(2) On the 21st day of each month at high noon, the American Legion as an institution and American Legionnaires as individuals should pause for a moment of silence of 21 seconds duration to honor our Fallen Heroes.  This would mean, of the 31 Million, 536 Thousand seconds in a calendar year, utilizing a very small 252 seconds of that year to honor Americans with the

       21 Seconds, Military Sacrifice/The Fallen who have given their lives defending freedom in war.

(3) That the American Legion should urge all Governmental bodies and all private institutions,

Including the news media and other businesses to adopt this policy that would help this and

future generations to understand and respect the sacrifice made by Veterans who have given their lives.

 

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Adjutant of the Department of California be and is hereby instructed to send this information to the National Adjutant for appropriate action at The American Legion National Convention, August 18-24 at Reno, Nevada.

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Below space is for use when resolution originates with a                  This is to certify that the above resolution was adopted

Dept. Commission/Committee or Convention Committee           at a Post and/or District Meeting of the Department

 

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  Chairman                 Post Adjutant

 

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Dept. Commission/Committee or Convention Committee                                                     District Adjutant

 

_____________________________________________              __________________   ________________________

  Date                 Post Date      District Date