Memorial Day commemorations come in many forms.
The most obvious, and most appropriate, graveside remembrances. My Dad, whose WW2 service fortunately was honored in November, spent most of the day participating in those rites. An amazing ritual: The folding of the flag, playing of taps, the 21-gun salute. All reprised at my Dad’s funeral, a moving tribute.
Also obvious, are the thank yous uttered by those grateful for their sacrifice. We’re reminded once a year “Freedom Isn’t Free”, and today is testimony to that. Fortunately, living veterans able to hear the occasional “Thank you for your service”.
So, today a tribute to The Fallen, a day earned with a steep price.
What did they fight and die for?
It may sound trite, but The American Way.
At its founding, America a new concept: Democracy of and by the people, which hadn’t really been tried before. One person, one vote, our elected representatives doing the will of the people, a rejection of the monarchy we’d lived under.
Our democratic processes ingeniously designed by the Founders, with 3 branches of government: the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial, each with their own defined roles, each providing checks and balances against the others.
The Bill of Rights and the remainder of the Constitution spelling out our individual rights, with specified limitations on government.
I don’t know when you last read the Bill of Rights, and the amendments to the Constitution, but take it as a civics lesson well worth the time. A worthy pursuit every federal holiday…
Even a cursory read reminding how visionary the Bill of Rights have been – As George Washington said, “James Madison is a real baller!” – the specified individual rights and protections setting us apart from the world.
And as we spin towards our 250th birthday next year, the country surviving – and thriving.
Because while Independence Day made the American Experiment a reality, and the Founding Fathers visionary in their design, those who made the ‘ultimate sacrifice’ ensured America would soldier on – critics be damned.
But I wonder what today’s honorees would make of how the country functions these days…
With each administration expanding the concept of presidential power, and Congress watching their power usurped through executive orders and non-action when it matters, bothparties blindly spending and hurtling us towards the fiscal cliff, I think they’d be rightly concerned.
The last couple of administrations the founders’ worst nightmare: One monetizing themselves selling their influence through complicated ‘Shadow LLCs’ – while hiding their inability to serve in plain sight – the other raking it in – in plain sight, in our collective faces.
And each the worst enemy of the constitution.
But I think they’d also be concerned about the state of free speech – so important to the founders it was the first item in the Bill of Rights – each administration attempting to strangle those who disagree with them.
Which means today’s other ‘Commemoration Activity’ an appreciation of our right to say or write whatever we want – – while we still can.
Free speech difficult to swallow at times.
In practice, requiring us to respect the right of others to say whatever they want – no matter how we disagree -unless violence inciting.
Done correctly, engaging ‘respectfully’, not threatening to “kill” someone for their opinion.
And if today’s honorees could exercise their free speech right they might say “I disagree, please go on…I gave my life to protect your privilege – but please think hard about what you’re saying”.
But balance it with action if necessary – our way of life worth preserving.
And if necessary, worth dying for.
HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!