There are lots of things you can do on Memorial Day. You can get together with family and friends to (as the Coneheads say), “char some mammal flesh’” and “consume mass quantities.” Or watch TCM’s war-movie marathon or some other TV event, maybe even attend some Memorial Day ceremony. Lots of folks have family reunions around this time. A three-day weekend is always nice.
Whatever you’re doing, I hope you can take time to give some thought to the meaning of this holiday and what it is that we are observing: honoring the men and women who have died defending our freedom. The sacrifices that have been made to preserve us a free nation have been frequent and great. Many of the best and the brightest have been lost to their families and to our country in exchange for the freedom and safety we too often take for granted. And don’t forget those fighters who are still fighting, and those who fought in the past and survived the battles, often with grievous wounds. They deserve our gratitude, respect, and prayers, and so do their families.
God help us to never forget that a price must be paid for liberty. It is not automatic and it is not free. Our free nation is the great exception to the rule of tyranny which has always dominated this world historically and geographically. To live in America is a great blessing.
The pacifists are well motivated, but greatly mistaken. We would do well to remember the following (attributed to Ernest Hemingway): “There are several things worse than war, and they all come with defeat.”
Have a happy and thoughtful Memorial Day.
1 comment:
I'd never heard that before. Interesting coming from a man who endured WWI.
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