I got a PM from another member this weekend that got me to actually thinking about Memorial Day. I mean really think about it. When I was a kid it was the 1980's. The Reagan years, the Cold War years. I grew up in a small town in Maine right next to a Naval Air Station. When I was a kid I collected GI Joe toys (I still have them all too in really good condition), I wore the camoflage kiddie fatigues, played war in the woods by my house, hated Russia, and I loved America and the Flag. To me Memorial Day was a reason to march in parades, eat barbecue and wave the flag. My Dad was/is a hippie. Eventually I got older and he started to teach me more about the Military Culture. He was discharged from the Navy in '75. I started to understand that it wasn't like the cartoons I was watching wher planes got shot down and then you saw 2 parachutes fly from the crashing plane. I started to see both sides of the battle as human. To me Memorial Day was just another Flag Waving holiday. But like I said I got this PM the other day and it made me really think about Memorial day. I realise that it is about those who didn't survive. Every year we lose another veteran from another past war and another young man steps up to take his place. And every year at this time the flags come out again and we try to make things celebratory. To me this day shouldn't be about Patriotism. It should be about remembering the Sons and Daughters, the Mothers and Fathers, the Aunts and Uncles, and the Friends that have been taken from us. I am fortunate. I haven't lost any friends or family members to war. In my heart and soul I hope I never do. But my heart goes out to those that have. I hate the war but not the people that are fighting it. Please forgive me if I don't wave the flag or feel particularly patriotic. I'd just like to close with a couple of songs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRFOWuU1Q8A"]YouTube- Where have all the flowers gone? (Pete Seeger) And this last one I usually play when someone close to me dies today it will be for people I don't know but respect anyway: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVdTQ3OPtGY"]YouTube- Grateful Dead - Ripple Peace Out, Rev J
All gave some ... some gave all. It's heartening that most Americans have a positive attitude these days toward the members of our military, as opposed to the Vietnam era, when they were vilified. I lost my older brother in Vietnam. I do believe there is such thing as a "just" war, but Vietnam wasn't one of them. And in my mind, my brother and 58,000 others died for nothing. Unfortunately, I believe our soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan are dying for nothing, as well. I feel for those Vietnam veterans who are just a little bitter over the fact that soldiers today are regarded as heroes, and the Vietnam vets couldn't even wear their uniforms in public without being hassled. I too give thanks for those who paid the ultimate price. But I also pray that our leaders will bring the rest of them home, and stop playing the ridiculous politician's game that accomplishes nothing except more caskets and more funerals.
Rev. J.C.- I agree with you I hate war. and I've never felt patriotic. It's like were happy to kill people casue of what...disputes? But ilove and respect veterans they have balls. PEace Biscuit
