Recently a Gold Star mother came to visit me from Denver. Her son died in Iraq and I had done a free portrait for her. She comes for a visit and a hug once in a while. She told me that for the first time in many years Denver decided to not have a Memorial Day Parade. When she contacted her mayor’s office and asked why, they told her they just decided to not have one this year. So that made me think.
In Edmonds what I remembered most being said before and during Memorial Day were things about sales, picnics, etc.. But at a talk I gave at Evergreen Cemetery on Memorial Day I explained to the crowd that it hurts to remember all the soldiers that have died for us. So people would rather not think about them. Of course some of us do, but not most.
So on Saturday I opened The Herald, knowing it is the anniversary of D-Day (June 6, 1944). As a Vietnam veteran, I was looking for the story I was sure was there about some local World War II veteran who was there on that day. They are around. Maybe not next year but they are this year. What did I find, nothing at all. Nothing! How can we want to just forget? How can we pretend these men and women didn’t die to give us the life we live? Why would we want to forget? Sure there is guilt and its painful to remember, but we need to remember, never forget. Some of us can’t forget. Some of us feel the pain every day. But can’t we at least do the story? If for no other reason then, respect!
Michael G. Reagan
www.fallenheroesproject.org
Edmonds
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