On Memorial Day, I wanted to express my thanks and thoughts to families who have lost loved ones in service to our magnificent country. I know our family has been affected in past wars. I'll have our Scouts at our little town's Memorial Day service and march to the cemetaries and the wharf for services in memory of those members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard who have given their lives in defense of Liberty.

Maybe the common man who signed his name simply A. Lincoln said it best many years ago at Gettysburg:

"It is for us the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that 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 - that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Amen,,,,"There but for the grace of God, go I"

I think a few people are beginning to realize that you must be able to separate government (and its decisions) from the country itself, as well as separating the soldiers themselves from the job they are required to do.

In the 1960s, there was a military draft to supply a large number of bodies for an unpopular and pointless war in Vietnam. The soldiers who returned alive not only had to deal with what they had seen, done (under orders), and had done to them, but they also had to face the angry shouting groups, spitting, prejudice and hatred from their fellow citizens.

Our soldiers are not, and have never been, our enemies.

Sue

"...Our soldiers are not, and have never been, our enemies..."

As one of those 60's era vets, I have to say WELL SAID...

Susan, wildman and Oldbaldguy. That was well said, And i would share my camp fire with you any time. May all the veterns both past and present find joy and happyness. And return to the land of there fathers, to be greated with joy. coyote USMC

wildman you took the words out of my mouth, and may god grant peace to our brothers and sisters who did fall.

Yesterday, at our town's ceremony for Memorial Day, one of the students at our junior high recited the Gettysburg address. It was just funny that I had included a portion of it in my post yesterday morning. I was proud to hear one of my scouts explain to a parent during the ceremony that Lincoln wrote it, about the Civil War. THE PARENT HAD TOLD THE KID THAT IT WAS FROM A SPEECH BY JFK! Good Lord... Kennedy did some fine things as president, but, to not know the Gettysburg Address, and Abe Lincoln... (I know that I can't save the parents, but, if we get the children on the right track, I like our chances down the road.)

Anyway, we did have a fine ceremony to honor those who we have lost. After some speeches by dignitaries and a retired soldier at our elementary school, we marched to the wharf for a ceremony for those who lost their lives at sea, and then to a local cemetary for those who lost their lives on land. At each place, some words of rememberance, rifle volleys, and taps. It was kinda old fashioned, certainly had a small town feel to it, and very touching. I was glad to be part of it, and have my boys involved.