I've been bouncing off the walls this evening wondering if I would be able to sit long enough to blog some Memorial/Decoration Day feelings. Once again,I am very angry at the media that puts the wounding/death of their own PAID employees who volunteer for jobs in WAR over and ahead of those young and not so young women and men SENT to FIGHT an illegal,immoral,unethical,aimless war. I am sick of hearing about the Memorial Day/Decoration Day parades with marching bands and candy-catching kids who,by some grace, have THEIR parents in attendance.--Who,by some grace, have THEIR parents present with all arms ,legs,eyes and some semblance of mental health. These children,by some grace-probably their parent's ,unaware of a country thousands of miles aways where the only parades today are those with coffins being carried and U.S Service women and men w/ missing limbs,missing minds,lost sight and lost vision-the "lucky" ones....


I sat down and checked my email for the first time in days and found the following email which encouraged me to sit and write:

Louie,
I just walked in the door. I live in a small town who still has hometown parades. As I sat on my front porch, a horrible feeling came over me. I felt sick as I watched the flag go by. My son was asked to carry the flag by the VFW. I couldn't tell if it was him or not. I don't see him as much since he got out of the hospital. He doesn't have a phone anymore so I can't call him. Other people lined the road with their children. Happy and excited as the band, cheerleaders, floats, and VFW passed by. But it made me physically ill. I felt like I couldn't move. Tears rolled down my face as I sat frozen in my chair. I can't explain it.I have never felt this way before. I still feel sick and shaken. Maybe it is a cumulation of all I have been through the last 2 1/2 years with this war. Maybe it is because people don't seem to really care unless there is a parade or event to make us take notice. Maybe it is the happiness on the peoples faces when all I can think of is the tragedies occurring everyday. I really don't know. I guess I needed to get that out. Thanks for being there Louie. Happy Memorial Day.



Cherry


WE are the SHAME of this nation on this Memorial Day-on this Decoration Day w/our flags out as we parade and picnic ignoring those for whom WE'VE allowed a Hell to be created IN OUR NAMES-BY OUR SILENCE !


~Louie b.

29May06 9:03 p