The following was originally reported by NY1 on November 11, 2010.
Politicians came out in droves Thursday to march up Fifth Avenue in the 91st Annual Veterans Day Parade.
Among those in attendance were Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Governor David Paterson, Congressman Charles Rangel and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn.
"Freedom isn't free. It is always going to be threatened by people who don't like what we think is right. We aren't trying to tell anyone else what they should do, we don't want anyone else to us what to do. What we can say, who we can pray to, where we can pray -- you saw that controversy -- being in charge of our own destiny," Bloomberg told reporters.
Governor Paterson revved up the crowd, saying the country disgraced itself after the Vietnam War because of the way it treated returning veterans.
"Our government did not provide them with the services they needed and they weren't given the dignity and respect of people who gave their lives to protect this country," Paterson said.
Meanwhile, Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo was not at the parade's opening ceremony nor was he on the parade route, despite the fact that organizers seemed to be expecting him. They even announced to veterans at one point that Cuomo was on his way to the event.
This year's parade was especially important because veterans were honoring the 60th anniversary of the Korean War. Rangel himself is a veteran of that war, earning both a Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his service.
He stayed on message Thursday as he ducked questions about the upcoming ethics trial that awaits him in Washington next week.
He's been charged with 13 ethics violations.
"There should not be any reason why a veteran is without a job, without a home or without hope and that is what I will be talking about all day today," Rangel said.
Earlier in the day at Gracie Mansion, Mayor Bloomberg announced that Terrance Holliday has been appointed the new commissioner for the mayor's office of veteran's affairs. Holliday is a retired Air Force Colonel.
The new commissioner is expected to focus on expanding the city's outreach efforts to veterans and is expected to address the wave of veterans returning to New York from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
"Serving the United States of America -- those not in uniform might call it a hardship. I think every one of us would call that an honor," Holliday said.
Bloomberg says special attention will be paid to those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
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