The True Meaning of Memorial Day
Guys, this is a Memorial Day message from Jon Soltz, chairman and co-founder of Vote Vets, an organization of veterans, their families, and supporters, originally begun by General Wesley Clark with the intention of putting as many veterans in Congress in the '06 election as possible, so there would be SOMEONE who would actually speak for the troops in regards to this war.
Some of you may recall that, consequently, there were somthing like more than a dozen or more Iraq and Afghanistan vets, and Vietnam vets, running as Democrats in the '06 elections. Many of them won their races.
The Republicans only had ONE, and he was defeated.
Vote Vets has continued to stay active in ending this war.
Recently, they sponsored three 30-second commercials featuring retired generals--two of whom had commanded troops in Iraq--which made the case that Bush did NOT listen to his generals on the ground because THEY were the generals he ignored. The ads were aired in vulnerable Republican districts whose congresspeople and senators had backed Bush, and ran repeatedly on YouTube with thousands of hits.
You can support Vote Vets, or look into their many activities--including lobbying Congress to end this war--at http://www.votevets.org.
The message from Mr. Stoltz, an Iraq vet himself, is a reminder of the true meaning of Memorial Day:
On Monday, our nation will observe Memorial Day - a day which is incredibly solemn and sacred, especially to those of us who served our nation with military service.
For one day, VoteVets.org, and our friends at WesPAC and the National Security Network, will put politics completely aside, and stand in solidarity with the rest of our nation to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the United States. Whether you are a Democrat, Republican, or of another party or no party at all, we are all still Americans, and on this day, we should solely be focused on honoring those who died in service. As a progressive troops' organization, we're also asking that people not protest at Memorial Day events. We have 364 other days to argue policy and politics, but this day belongs to the fallen and their memories.
Today, please consider making a donation to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund (http://www.fallenheroesfund.org) , which is dedicated to helping the families of those who died in service. The Intrepid Fund has already provided $60 million in aid to families, but can only continue to do so with your support.
Above all, take a day to learn more about someone who died in defense of America. If you're at a parade or prayer service and you see a veteran or military family member, ask him or her who they are honoring. Learn more about that hero, so their memory can endure. Too often, we talk about the fallen in terms of numbers. We forget, each of those numbers were real people, with real lives, and real families. The names on the thousands of memorials across America are more than letters etched in stone - they are lives lost with honor. The best way we can honor those who sacrificed their lives is ensure that the memory of who they were as human beings is never forgotten. Please, on Memorial Day, do your part to ensure their memory lives on.
Thank you for your support of our troops and veterans.
Sincerely,
Jon Soltz, Iraq War Veteran, Chairman and Co-Founder, VoteVets.org
Wes Clark
Rand Beers, USMC (ret.), National Security Network
Tell John Edwards a Memorial Day war protest is wrong.
Thank you Jon Stolz and General Clark.
May 26, 2007 10:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
Deanie...
Great blog, as always.
I always try to thank people I see in uniform. It is still a little thorn to me the way we were treated and I don't want those who currently serve to think they aren't appreciated.
I still haven't been able to go to the "Wall" yet. I'm a history buff and have been to many civil war memorials and WWII and other war places of remembrance. They are always moving and spiritual experiences for me but the "Wall" still affects me in ways I don't discuss with anyone.
I know some of those names well. I remember their smiles and the look in their eyes before they became statistics. I have blogged before trying to humanize the "numbers."
One of the reasons I am so passionate against "Georgie" and the rest of the COWARDS in his administration is because they pretend to be patriotic and to care about "The Troops." But they are insincere and have no souls. "The Troops" are beginning to KNOW what you and I have known all along, that these people aren't PRO-America, they are PRO-big business, PRO-defense contractors, PRO Haliburton! I'd love to see the off shore account balances for "Georgie", Dick "The Monster" Cheney, "Rummy" and the rest. I'd love to see how they have multiplied since they lied us into this quagmire in Iraq.
As I've said before, Hell is too good for them!
May 26, 2007 10:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sometimes, outsiders have the best insights. I was playing tourguide for a Swedish friend, who was a teenager during Vietnam. We visited the Lincoln Memorial, and then the Wall.
She commented that she though it was extremely appropriate the two were near one another. A little puzzled, I asked why.
"Weren't they the times your country was most troubled internally?"
She's married an American and is teaching in college. Her students in US History must be very lucky.
--
Howard
*equal opportunity offense to both extremes*
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" [George Santayana]
May 26, 2007 9:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
As always, Howard, poignant and perfectly to the point.
Unfortunately future generations will have another HORROR to learn about because of the arrogance, incompetence, lies and greed of the Bush administration and the monsters who have so shamed our great country.
May 27, 2007 6:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
We may be adding a third time. Where GWB and LBJ were motivated by hubris, James Buchanan's "I'll leave it for my successor" doesn't sound too bad. Sadly, is there a Buchanan precedent that his successor will have to handle war and reconstruction?
--
Howard
*equal opportunity offense to both extremes*
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" [George Santayana]
May 27, 2007 6:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think Edwards wants to protest this administration and THEIR lies and corruption. It in no way is intended as a protest of our troops.
May 26, 2007 10:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Chuck, when I went to the Wall, as I've written before, I started sobbing and I could not seem to stop. I was offended at people laughing and jostling to take pictures of themselves in front of it, while in the distance, say, there would be an elderly woman standing silently, staring.
I'm not kidding. I could not stop crying. Nobody paid any attention to me.
Finally, I wandered up to a souvenir stand run by a Vietnam vet to get something for my husband and my son, and of course, tears were still streaming down my face.
He said, very kindly, "Did you serve?"
And I said, daubing at my face with a soaked Kleenex, "No, but my father, my brother, my husband, my brother-in-law all did, and friends, one of whose name is here." I added that my husband had not yet visited.
He said, "Let me make a suggestion. When your husband makes his first visit, tell him to come at night. When you come in the daytime, it can be overwhelming. When you come at night, it is EMBRACING."
Then he gave me a big hug, God bless him.
But I thought that was so wise, because I knew that the tourists wouldn't be around then, either. Of course, as a woman traveling alone at the time, it wouldn't have been wise for me to go alone at night, but I could sure see the wisdom of doing so if you are a vet.
Just thought I'd pass that along.
May 26, 2007 10:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks, Kiddo... If I live long enough, I'll make it there someday. Or maybe some night.
May 26, 2007 11:08 AM | Reply | Permalink