Englewood NJ, my hometown, has an annual Memorial Day Parade. My father used to participate in the parade, riding up Palisade Avenue in his candy red Lincoln Continental convertible. The parade still features convertibles. This year there was a hearse too,
from Eternity Funeral Home, advertising their services while honoring the troops at the same time.
I met World War Two veteran Joseph Austin and his wife Claire who were locating the names of his friends etched on the Liberty Plaza Memorial across from the Palisade Avenue Memorial. Both felt the speeches before the parade should have mentioned the Memorial so people who came out for the parade would take notice and honor the dead. The Memorial has the names of all local soldiers who lost their lives in all the wars America has participated in.
It is easy to forget what Memorial Day is about, with barbecues, shopping and parades with marching bands, dancing girls and beauty queens, unless you are unlucky enough to lose someone in a war. President Obama went to Arlington Cemetery today where he honored the dead and thanked those serving in the military. He laid a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. There were many visitors in Section 60, the area for those who died in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is know as the “saddest acre in America." I fear Section 60 will continue to grow despite Obama’s dream of world peace.
It is easy to forget what Memorial Day is about, with barbecues, shopping and parades with marching bands, dancing girls and beauty queens, unless you are unlucky enough to lose someone in a war. President Obama went to Arlington Cemetery today where he honored the dead and thanked those serving in the military. He laid a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. There were many visitors in Section 60, the area for those who died in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is know as the “saddest acre in America." I fear Section 60 will continue to grow despite Obama’s dream of world peace.
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Speaking frankly, you are absolutely right.
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