Memorial Day
Because today should not go unnoticed.
Because some things should reach across partisan lines.
Because some people think patriotism is a dying chauvinistic institution that belongs in the forgotten annals of world and American history, but they are wrong.
With the advent of the Internet, there are hundreds, thousands of tributes to American troops. Some are cheesy and silly, some are heartfelt, but all the real ones give you a lump in your throat and tears in your eyes.
Some of my best, most real memories are visiting Arlington Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, or traveling to the Lincoln Memorial and reading the Gettysburg Address inscribed into the south wall.
It’s a wonderful country. Thank you to all the men and women in uniform who served and continue to serve. Other people, from Lincoln to Reagan, have said it better than I ever could, but thank you.
— Ben Hyman
Comments
Ben, you are so right. I loved visiting those places and they meant a lot to me. No matter what you think about specific wars and whether they are justified or not, serving your country is always one of the most honorable things a person can do.
Posted by: Dana | May 28, 2007 6:58 PM
Thanks, Ben. My younger son will be deployed to Afghanistan in late December, so I’m responding to this Memorial Day in a more personal way than I have in the past. Hard for a former Vietnam War protester — I’ve learned that the personal totally trumps the political.
Posted by: Frances Harris | May 28, 2007 9:06 PM