Ernie Els Scoffs at Losers

Today I went to visit the new World War II Memorial inWashington , 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 abounding 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.