Memorial Day is a day dedicated to remembering those who died in service to our country.
While every war has its opponents: people who don’t believe in the cause, don’t believe the US should be involved in a particular place, or people who are opposed to any war in principle. Those opponents must not ignore the sacrifice made for us by those who served and died. The very freedom that allows people to protest and to burn the American flag if they so choose was won by those who fought and died in defense of that freedom. Nor should we forget those who fought and are still living.
Having been an Air Force wife during Viet Nam, I knew some of those young men and women who gave their lives or returned home damaged in mind or body. I won’t say that I support one war or oppose another. My feelings about the current conflicts in the world are of no importance. What is important is that we salute our service men and women, those who have died, and those who were willing to die, who strive to ensure that we do have the freedom to worship as we choose, to vote as we choose, to protest as we choose.
We have a moral obligation to take care of those whose minds and bodies were broken by going to war in our defense. While parents and loved ones mourn the death of their fallen warriors, those warriors may be the lucky ones, their suffering is over. What are we as a country doing for those who have returned to us wishing they had died, preferring death to the hell in which they are currently living. Every day, in every large city and a few smaller ones, we see those wounded warriors living in poverty, despised as the dregs of humanity.
We are not the first country to abandon those to whom we owe so much. Rome did as much to their returning warriors after the campaign against Hannibal. England was as bad or worse in their treatment of returning soldiers after the Napoleonic Wars. Are we destined to repeat the sins of the past? Can we not learn from the mistakes of others.
I won't pretend to know the answers. I don't know exactly what it is we should do to correct this outrageous wrong. But we should do something. We have a bi-lateral Congress of the USA, senators and representatives who should make it their priority to find a solution for these issues.
So if I can urge you to take one step, as a free member of a free democratic society, contact your congress person and your senator, and urge them to address this shame that confronts America, protest any decisions to reduce funds dedicated to helping our wounded warriors. We have survivors of many wars in our midst, survivors of World War II, of the Korean conflict, of Viet Nam, of Desert Storm, of Afghanistan and of Iraq.
Ask yourself, while you are thinking of your loved ones who surrendered their lives for our country, what are we doing for those who are dying a slower and more painful death because they are abandoned by the very country for which they gave their best.
Live long and prosper
Monday, May 30, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Better Late than Never
I intended to blog immediately after returning from Denver. Man plans, God laughs. I have no idea how I ever had time to work for all those years. One of my children (who shall remain nameless) even cautioned me against retiring because I would be bored out of my mind. Needless to say, that child was wrong.
I landed in Denver on Tuesday evening, shortly before DIA was closed due to a thunder and lightning storm. Another member of my aunt’s family was arriving later that evening and was diverted to Colorado Springs.
That storm intensified, got colder, lost the fireworks, and rained for the next two days straight. I had anticipated rain, but not below freezing temperatures. The clothes I had brought for the memorial Mass were not really weather appropriate. But it was just as well, because all of the indoor venues were too warm anyway.
After Mass we went in a funeral procession to the columbarium where my aunt’s remains were entombed in the niche with her husband and son. She was the very last of my parents’ generation to pass. It is sobering to think I am now a member of my family’s existing senior generation.
I am very glad I made the effort to be present. I was the only Wadleigh (my maiden name) to be present. None of my cousins, my uncle’s other nieces or nephews, were able to travel to Denver. The other family members present were my aunt’s brother and his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
My efforts were rewarded in a very special way. I was given a restored photograph of my grandparents’ wedding picture taken in 1904. It is a precious keepsake that I will pass on to my daughter. I brought home some other photo albums in my suitcase, but this picture I carried with me lest my luggage be lost and this picture with it.
I returned from Denver on Thursday afternoon. When I departed there was snow on the ground at DIA which wasn’t there when I arrived. Of course, I didn’t return to the sunny warm weather I left behind, but instead it has been wet and cold since I have been home. But since weather travels from west to east I can’t be held responsible for our current climate in the Bay Area.
Live long and prosper!
I landed in Denver on Tuesday evening, shortly before DIA was closed due to a thunder and lightning storm. Another member of my aunt’s family was arriving later that evening and was diverted to Colorado Springs.
That storm intensified, got colder, lost the fireworks, and rained for the next two days straight. I had anticipated rain, but not below freezing temperatures. The clothes I had brought for the memorial Mass were not really weather appropriate. But it was just as well, because all of the indoor venues were too warm anyway.
After Mass we went in a funeral procession to the columbarium where my aunt’s remains were entombed in the niche with her husband and son. She was the very last of my parents’ generation to pass. It is sobering to think I am now a member of my family’s existing senior generation.
I am very glad I made the effort to be present. I was the only Wadleigh (my maiden name) to be present. None of my cousins, my uncle’s other nieces or nephews, were able to travel to Denver. The other family members present were my aunt’s brother and his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
My efforts were rewarded in a very special way. I was given a restored photograph of my grandparents’ wedding picture taken in 1904. It is a precious keepsake that I will pass on to my daughter. I brought home some other photo albums in my suitcase, but this picture I carried with me lest my luggage be lost and this picture with it.
I returned from Denver on Thursday afternoon. When I departed there was snow on the ground at DIA which wasn’t there when I arrived. Of course, I didn’t return to the sunny warm weather I left behind, but instead it has been wet and cold since I have been home. But since weather travels from west to east I can’t be held responsible for our current climate in the Bay Area.
Live long and prosper!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Any man's death diminishes me
Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind John Donne
Don’t misunderstand me. I am happy that the threat represented by Osama Bin Laden has been removed. But I am unable to celebrate his death. How do those citizens, who parade with banners and demonstrate in the streets of New York and D.C. because of his execution, differ from Muslims in the Middle East who did the very same thing on 9-11?
How can we hope that the removal of a terrorist threat will bring peace to our world when we exhibit the same kind of hatred, bigotry, and intolerance that was the excuse for 9-11? Are we making Bin Laden a martyr for the Islamic extremists to emulate? Will they try harder to accomplish his vision - destruction of the western world’s ‘War on Islam’?
I don’t pretend to understand how terrorists justify the murder of non-combatants or why Islamic extremists believe the west is out to destroy their religion and their way of life. But it may just be because out culture has been guilty of exactly that when it comes to other ethnic groups who differ from us.
Examples include the plight of Native Americans at the hands of European immigrants; the efforts of the allied nations to subdue Turkey and partition the country for the enrichment of the member nations; the effort to destroy the Jews by Hitler’s Arian Germany. Yes, I am aware of the support of some Muslims of Germany’s efforts.
If everyone would take just one step back from the brink, stop playing the blame game, and pray for peace to whatever deity they worship, the human race might survive. Does that mean that fear and hatred will ceased to exist? Unfortunately not; there will always be people who are certain that they speak for God – whatever her name may be – but the majority of right thinking human beings hopefully will outnumber the fringe element.
Pray for peace.
Live long and prosper!
Don’t misunderstand me. I am happy that the threat represented by Osama Bin Laden has been removed. But I am unable to celebrate his death. How do those citizens, who parade with banners and demonstrate in the streets of New York and D.C. because of his execution, differ from Muslims in the Middle East who did the very same thing on 9-11?
How can we hope that the removal of a terrorist threat will bring peace to our world when we exhibit the same kind of hatred, bigotry, and intolerance that was the excuse for 9-11? Are we making Bin Laden a martyr for the Islamic extremists to emulate? Will they try harder to accomplish his vision - destruction of the western world’s ‘War on Islam’?
I don’t pretend to understand how terrorists justify the murder of non-combatants or why Islamic extremists believe the west is out to destroy their religion and their way of life. But it may just be because out culture has been guilty of exactly that when it comes to other ethnic groups who differ from us.
Examples include the plight of Native Americans at the hands of European immigrants; the efforts of the allied nations to subdue Turkey and partition the country for the enrichment of the member nations; the effort to destroy the Jews by Hitler’s Arian Germany. Yes, I am aware of the support of some Muslims of Germany’s efforts.
If everyone would take just one step back from the brink, stop playing the blame game, and pray for peace to whatever deity they worship, the human race might survive. Does that mean that fear and hatred will ceased to exist? Unfortunately not; there will always be people who are certain that they speak for God – whatever her name may be – but the majority of right thinking human beings hopefully will outnumber the fringe element.
Pray for peace.
Live long and prosper!
Monday, May 2, 2011
Blue Jays – Nature’s Nags
Spring appears to have found its way to our part of California. The weather is warm and sunny, with the thermometer climbing just a bit more each day. I have turned off the furnace, and I leave the patio door open to enjoy the fresh air. When it gets too warm, I open a window on the north side of the house to create a cross breeze.
My cat, Sir Isaac Newton, commonly referred to as Red, takes advantage of the opportunity to wander in and out of the house as he pleases. His little bit of paradise (our back yard), however, has been invaded by a blue jay, actually two blue jays. But only one is an unconscionable heckler. She (I assume the female of the species) takes great pleasure in squawking harshly every time Red comes into the yard. If given the opportunity she dives on him. I have put his outside water dish under a table so that he can drink without putting one of his nine lives at risk.
But Red is not the only one disturbed by her appearance. I watch and hear the squirrels scolding the jay as her presence threatens their access to our trees. This morning, while Mrs. Jay was heckling Red, Mr. Jay was diving on a squirrel taking shelter on a power pole. The reason I know he is the “mister” is because he stirs himself infrequently. He leaves the bulk of the work to her.
I understand the instinctive behavior of protecting the nest. I have seen the two birds attack a crow that has dared to invade our back yard air space. Now crows really are raiders, and wouldn’t think twice (do crows think?) about destroying a nest and poking holes in the eggs. I have seen them do as much to a dove’s nest. So my suggestion to Mr. and Mrs. Jay is to concentrate their protective instincts against crows and not my poor cat who is too lazy to think about climbing a tree or attacking a nest. Who, when the heckling gets too bothersome, comes into my office and naps in his basket.
Live long and prosper!
My cat, Sir Isaac Newton, commonly referred to as Red, takes advantage of the opportunity to wander in and out of the house as he pleases. His little bit of paradise (our back yard), however, has been invaded by a blue jay, actually two blue jays. But only one is an unconscionable heckler. She (I assume the female of the species) takes great pleasure in squawking harshly every time Red comes into the yard. If given the opportunity she dives on him. I have put his outside water dish under a table so that he can drink without putting one of his nine lives at risk.
But Red is not the only one disturbed by her appearance. I watch and hear the squirrels scolding the jay as her presence threatens their access to our trees. This morning, while Mrs. Jay was heckling Red, Mr. Jay was diving on a squirrel taking shelter on a power pole. The reason I know he is the “mister” is because he stirs himself infrequently. He leaves the bulk of the work to her.
I understand the instinctive behavior of protecting the nest. I have seen the two birds attack a crow that has dared to invade our back yard air space. Now crows really are raiders, and wouldn’t think twice (do crows think?) about destroying a nest and poking holes in the eggs. I have seen them do as much to a dove’s nest. So my suggestion to Mr. and Mrs. Jay is to concentrate their protective instincts against crows and not my poor cat who is too lazy to think about climbing a tree or attacking a nest. Who, when the heckling gets too bothersome, comes into my office and naps in his basket.
Live long and prosper!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
