Have a SAFE Memorial Day, and please remember the troops!

[Rigil Kent]

I'm trying to remain apolitical with this. Whether one supports the ongoing hostilities or not, I hope that the troops are in everyone's mind this Memorial Day, and that we remember why we celebrate this holiday here in the States.



It is the Soldier,
not the reporter who has given us freedom of press

It is the Soldier,
not the poet who has given us freedom of speech

It is the Soldier,
not the campus organizer who gives us freedom to demonstrate

It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,
who serves beneath the flag,
and whose coffin is draped by the flag,
who allows the protester to burn the flag.

Father Dennis Edward O'Brien

[evcake]

"from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." A. Lincoln

[blacknblue]

Amen.

[evcake]

I have been watching WWII documentaries and thinking about stories my Mom told about that time. It's a lot to reflect on.

[hth2k]

For those who wish more info on Decoration/Memorial Day, http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html

Take a moment to consider those that have fallen on the field of battle, but for these we would not be who we are today.

HtH

[justTripn]

We are free! Thank you, Veterans!

[Mitchell]

Thank you to all those that have served with selfless devotion, To those that have fought, been scared, bled, an died for our homes, our freedoms, and for all our very lives. For with out you we would be nothing, and the world would be a hopeless dark places of eternal dispair.


We owe you everything. Thank you.


Good Song makes me cry with pride, an love everytime I hear it. >> http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/cash-johnny/ragged-old-flag-2215.html

[JadziaKathryn]

I'm thankful to all the people who have served and are serving in our military, because I certainly couldn't. And we can enjoy the holiday - however we do it - in our free country because of them.

[Linda]

It is not political to support the troops (and I do support them) whatever I think of the situation they are put into! We all have friends over there and we all send them packages from home. I sent rumballs in one this year (about the only alcohol some guys got). Did that in the first gulf war too, and when the Coast Guard Reserve port security unit returned, my friends said they even tried to smoke the rumball crumbs over there.

I hope that I am not getting into another religious tangle again here by saying that this is the first Memorial Day that a certain religious group was allowed by the Veterans Administration to have their religious symbol on their memorial stones. And it was a fight that spanned several years while at the same time all sorts of other religious groups where having their symbols approved! So this Memorial Day is very special now that the symbol has finally been approved.

I stood by the side of one widow last year when we interred some of her husband’s ashes in a religious sanctuary where we could use the symbol when it still was not approved for a veteran’s cemetery in her home state. This widow made trips to Washington to fight for the plaque that they would not put up on her husband's memorial in the veteran’s cemetery near her home because she refused to have it put up without the religious symbol. A strong, strong woman who had the experience of her husband returned to her in a series of packages mailed that she had to sign for over time. He was killed in a helicopter explosion in Afghanistan in 2005 and the DNA tests of the remains they found went on for some time. She had to visit his memorial, a blank space on a wall next to the plaque of his crewmate buddy killed in the same explosion. This Memorial Day, she has finally laid her husband, the love of her life, to rest.

I am glad that you returned in one piece, Rigil, to give us your wonderful stories. Thank you for your service and thank you, every veteran, including my Dad and both his brothers in WWII. My father died seven years ago and I am the only one in my family who pushed for and got to keep his flag, which I keep on my ancestor altar at home. So, as you can see, I DO honor our service people, no matter what I think of the political situation!

If I get kicked off this site for saying all this, so be it!!!

Linda

[TSara]

Thanks RK.

Also please keep in mind the Contractors/Civilians who have died in the line of duty as well.


They unfortunately are often forgotten as people take time out to reflect on the sacrifices of our honored dead.

Lest we forget.

From a Veteran now turned Defense Contractor.

[evcake]

Linda: forgive my ignorance, but what is the symbol you refer to? If its OK to ask. Unable to find a smiley expressing innocent curiosity, so here a regular one.

[evcake]

Nevermind. Got it. Shoulda done my own research.

[Elessar]

"Freedom isn't free, but a United States Marine will pay most of your share."






semper fi, Veterans.