“the first casualty of war is the truth.” SENATOR HIRAM JOHNSON – 1917
I’ve been sitting here at my desk for over an hour trying to compose an appropriate, patriotic weekend post for this Memorial Day. I’ve been sitting here remembering past holidays when I proudly displayed American flags in the front yard for Memorial Day and July 4th. And, sadly, all that fills my mind are the mournful strings of Barber’s Adagio for Strings. I remember those sounds from the movie, PLATOON. It was a somber commentary on the truth of our 1st defeat as a country in battle. It was a story which needed to be told about Vietnam, the divisive war which lined the coffers of the American munitions/defense/industrial complex at a cost of 1.4 million casualties of which 58,220 were courageous American warriors.
I won’t put my flags out this year and probably not for years to come. I may die never again displaying those flags. Absolutely, I continue to honor and revere those who serve and those who gave their lives in service, but today I kneel with sadness rather than salute with respect the flag which represents a once proud nation led astray by greed and corruption.
A friend recently reminded me that we don’t have to agree politically or theologically to continue loving one another. I hope he is right and for today I will hold on to that thought for the comfort needed to survive this darkness.
MAY GOD BLESS OUR NATION AND MAY WE ALWAYS SALUTE THOSE WHO SERVED AND DIED.
MAY GOD BLESS ALL THOSE WHO SACRIFICED COMFORT, SECURITY AND LIFE TO DEFEND FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND EXPRESSION.
lpb - quest 