I won’t wish you a happy Memorial Day. There’s nothing at all happy about remembering mostly young men and women, who who have sacrificed their lives in the service of this nation. Honoring them is a solemn occasion. I add to their number two students from Jackson State, four students from Kent State, and others who were killed opposing war, whose deaths were covered-up. Their service is equally worthy of honor.
Although I have opposed the wars in my lifetime, I fully believe that while hating the war, we must cherish the warriors. Politicians, and we who elect them, are at fault for criminal wars, not the soldiers.
While some Veterans groups try to use this holiday to focus our attention on them, but this is not their day. We have Veterans Day to honor their service, but let me close with a message for veterans this Memorial Day: Thank you for being good enough at your job that you came back, and in so doing, saved us the pain of honoring your loss.
13 Responses to “Remembering the Fallen”
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TC, I completely agree – I wish we hadn't been drawn into these wars by crazy/idiotic leaders, but we were, and we have to take care of all those who go off to fight, in whatever condition they come back, poor souls.
There's an astoundingly haunting song from Australia on the subject of the young men going to fight in the Vietnam War that can be found under 'I was only Nineteen' – it begins "Mum and Dad and Denny, saw the passing out parade at Puckyapunyal' – there is a threnodic line every couple of verses 'God help me, I was only nineteen' – it makes me cry to hear it, but it is so very well worth hearing.
We honor the dead by remembering them and their sacrifices. I also honor those who fought and came back alive ony to succumb to their mental anquish from the horrors of war by taking their own lives. Sadly some took others with them.
Well said, Tom, I completely agree.
"Although I have opposed the wars in my lifetime, I fully believe that while hating the war, we must cherish the warriors. Politicians, and we who elect them, are at fault for criminal wars, not the soldiers." I don't believe I have ever heard that said better.
At least part of the reason the dead and living warriors get commingled is that the only way we can receive the stories of the dead is through the survivors. The dead will not come back to tell their own. Every year I watch the National Memorial Day Concert on PBS (yes, I know, Sinise is a pig but he hides it well, and Mantegna seems like a decent enough fella) and though it is flawed it is both revealing and touching. I don't like the fact they use Chistian music but I take comfort in the fact that "America the Beautiful" was written by a Lesbian and "God Bless America" by a Jew (come to think of it, "The Lord's Prayer was also written by a Jew.) Most of the music is secular.
"Although I have opposed the wars in my lifetime, I fully believe that while hating the war, we must cherish the warriors. Politicians, and we who elect them, are at fault for criminal wars, not the soldiers."
Amen! Amen! And all of us say Amen!
In Canada, our Memorial Day is Remembrance Day, 11 November. Then we honour the soldiers of WWI, WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam war (some Canadians fought with the US forces). However, for the first time, 9 May 2014 Canada observed a National Day of Honour, specifically for the soldiers of the Afghanistan war, whether they paid the ultimate price while doing their job, returned home whole or with physical and mental injuries.
For the fallen . . . I remember! Je me souviens!
I think the USA should follow Canada's example on this one. Too many of our young people have been sacrificed in Afghanistan and Iraq. They deserve recognition.
My son just left from my house this morning to go back to training for yet another deployment. This was the first time I have seen him in 6 years. Just wanted to shout a HOWDY for “Warrior”!!!
May your next joyous reunion with your son be measured in weeks or months – but NOT years.
What Nameless said. A quick reunion with a son in perfect health.
Your son is now a member of a proud and distinguished group of Veterans Brothers. We look out for and help each other and in the Coast Guard we say, Semper Paratus.
Many of us our familiar with the intriguing story of how Arlington Cemetery came into being, a requisition from traitorous Gen. Robert E. Lee. And it wouldn't surprise me if I hadn't shared this Abraham Lincoln letter before, but it seems fitting on Memorial Day.
Pres. Lincoln wrote the letter to Mrs. Bixby on learning of the loss of her five sons in the Civil War. Altough its origins are not clear, its sentiments most assuredly are:
http://www.civil-war.net/pages/mrs_bixby_letter.asp
I fully agree with you TC. Vietnam veterans are still suffering from the way they were treated when they returned home.
Thanks all.