Observing Memorial Day

Is Observing Memorial Day only for those who passed?

A remembrance of Memorial Day happened this past weekend. It is an occurrence that always leaves me dejected, and in my post of May 15, 2014 I said that: “we, in the US, will be remembering all the fallen men and women who died in the military service of this nation. I will especially remember all those military individuals who died in Vietnam, in Iraq and in Afghanistan I do so for two reasons: The three wars occurred during my adult lifetime, which makes them much more personal and poignant; the three were wars of choice, especially Iraq! I will also remember the service men and women who have been maimed, traumatized, incapacitated for life, and, some rendered homeless roaming this shameful nation’s streets and alleys.” Nothing much has changed since that post, except that I should add Ukraine – another war of choice that had apparently been in the making since 2008 by the account of many informed journalists and writers. Needless to say that it is infuriating, and what is even more infuriating is that there doesn’t seem to be any intention for ending that war, or for diffusing the aggressive rhetoric from the American Left and Right towards China which has assumed the role of Peacemaker in the world! Are we really itching for a nuclear confrontation whether with Russia, or China? It is preposterous!

The honest and conscientious Jeffrey Sachs said in an interview: “We do not decide the rules of the world.” Yet, we, the United States, and our Western Allies continue to persistently do so and no amount of anti-war Protests, Marches, Articles, Books, Lectures or otherwise seem to be changing the trajectory of the war-mongers! What the hell is it going to take? I also said in that same post: “So on this, and on every Memorial Day, and after the eloquent speeches are orated, the wreaths laid, the candles lit, the orchestras with their oboes and tubas packed away, the prayers rendered and then . . . oh, and then . . . everyone will go shopping, watch the game, and then fire up the grills for another barbecue feast as the war veterans . . . gaze in anguish at the graves honored this morning adorned with the little flags and wonder for whom and for what their buddies died? . . . They can see the futility of it all and sink yet deeper into their tormented dreams! They see themselves and their buddies, the Collateral Damage of our political and corporate interests, suffering as they see another day of empty speeches and hollow acclamations pass on, and look across the landscape at the Presidents, politicians, leaders, media lap-dogs and CEOs that sent them to war firing up their grills and chuckling amongst themselves while gazing at their extravagant estates and hefty bank accounts padded with the blood of their fellow citizens!”

Avarice never ceases to astound me! Has anything changed from ten years ago when I wrote this? No. Nothing.

Moreover, while we foray across the world creating more havoc, more orphans, more uprooted, more dead beings many of us seem to be oblivious to the fact that there are some in our supposedly civilized world who mercilessly continue to colonize their minority populations, their indigent, their mentally challenged, and their immigrants etc. etc. right within their own nations, and across many nations of this globe. How civilized is that? How much does it make Respect and Dignity ring hollow? Uncivilized any way you slice it and dice it!

“May the dead rest in Peace on Memorial Day.

I wish the surviving combatants all the best in the world for each of them and for their families. May they have the strength and fortitude to live the rest of their lives painlessly, with dignity and as peacefully as they can.

And may every leader and politician – and anyone who ever earned blood money from the sacrifices of these young men and women as they bravely fought unwarranted wars – never have a day of peace, or a night free of ghastly nightmares!”

Yes, Amen to that! Amen!

Yet, as we remember the fallen, my mind also wanders to those unsung warriors who are still alive. Perhaps they need to be honored while they are living rather than after their passing?

There are three heroines amongst my friends who are taking care of old and sick husbands. They are on duty 24/7 and their dedication is to be honored and admired also, for they carry a heavy burden! I know that, because I experienced what they are going through for eight years while my husband was on dialysis. It was a sad, long goodbye!

Then I think of three other friends suffering from various degrees of dementia. Theirs is a heart-wrenching disease! Each of them was once an active, smart woman who never, ever thought that she would spend her last years on this planet in that sad state. I weep as I honor them!

Then my mind wanders off to those many whom I do not know personally,  and who many of us do not really acknowledge: The Invisible who are suffering the torture of being kidnapped, raped, uprooted, murdered, the war-ravaged, the trafficked, those that suffered sexual abuse by Catholic priests (and other clergy), those threatened to work in sweat shops and unconscionable industries, the maids in people’s houses who are worked to exhaustion and who get beaten and deprived of their minimum rights every day, the young children forced to kill, those belonging in gangs and on and on and on it goes!

So on Memorial Day while we remember all those fallen men and women who paid the ultimate price for their nation, I also want to remember all those who are still amongst us battling every day within the confines of their different sad, or horrific situations. I honor and remember each and every one of them, and hope that all of us can keep them in our thoughts, as well as in our voting choices!