Remember those who are alive and Injured

[sazemisery]

Monday is Memorial Day. Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.

My request for all Americans is not only to take time to remember our fallen heros but to support those military men and women who are injured, physically and mentally, in this time of war. I don’t mean by putting that obvious sign of support on our vehicles but by demanding that our government give these brave human beings their just due when they need it the most.

It is my belief that our government should insure that all military are given the full medical, financial and mental support they need once their tour of duty is ended either by injury or completion of contract. Not 0%, not 50%, not 80% but 100%. Why should a soldier who gives his/her all for this country not receive the same in return? If the military can spend billions on weapons why can’t they spend the money needed to mend what they have broken?

So, this Memorial Day, after you have stopped at 3:00 p.m. to remember the fallen heros who gave their lives to protect your freedoms, do something to insure that those who hurt and need help will be given the same in return.

[SoDesuKa]

1. Protecting Our Freedoms

<remember the fallen heros who gave their lives to protect your freedoms>

I used to attend the Memorial Day service to remember buddies of mine who were killed in Vietnam. Then the right wingers took over Memorial Day and made claims for the military that simply are not justified. For example, It has been more than 100 years since any American died protecting American freedom as such.

We can remember our dead without supporting militarism.

[sazemisery]

3. I don't support militarism

I served in the Army from 1973 til 1978. I won't attend any Memorial Day service on Monday but I will be writing any and all who allocate funds to the military. Our guys shouldn't have to COPAY anything. They give 100%. Our government needs to give 100%.

[SoDesuKa]

4. Our Freedoms

Our freedoms don't come from the military. When you make the rhetorical claim that we owe our freedoms to heroes who died preserving them, etc., you are giving the military too much credit. Way-y-y too much credit.

Freedom comes from a commitment within the people, not from the military. We have freedom of the press, but we also have so many cowardly journalists that that freedom has been eroded.

Please temper your rhetoric.

[sazemisery]

9. Missing the point of my post

Get past the rhetoric man. Make sure our military isn't homeless and without healthcare. COPAY my ass.

[SoDesuKa]

10. Not Missing the Point

I'm not missing the point. You're making an overstatement when you say we owe our freedoms to the military. I'm asking you to temper your rhetoric. You're more likely to get a favorable response if you don't make claims you can't support.

[sazemisery]

12. I won't change my post.

until the President quits "catapulting the propaganda".

[DanCa]

8. Sazemisery

I wanted to thank you for your service to our country.

[sazemisery]

11. You don't have to thank me.

I was a Reservist cause I needed the money. I went RA to finish my term of service. I was adopted into a military family and did what I felt was right. I came out whole. A lot haven't. Those are the ones I am concerned with.

[carnie_sf]

2. That's right

let's really support the troops, and cease and drsist with the stupid yellow ribbons already.

[earthboundmisfit]

5. Pay a visit to a Vet's Hospital & say THANK YOU

to these men & women who CONTINUE to give, every day of their lives, and who continue to get cuts in funding for their care.
Hey Shrubbete twins: Especially since you're not working yet (and even if you ARE), y'all should be visiting hospitalized veterans every day that you can. Unless, of course, you feel that's giving too much of yourselves, or if you think it might interfere with your professional partying & shopping. DO SOMETHING USEFUL, BEEYATCHES!!

[ourbluenation]

6. Wonder if * can make it to just 1 soldier's funeral by memorial day

Bas-tard.

[DanCa]

7. To my Marine Uncle Don Wageman

Who lost his arm fighting in Viet Nam. I just want to say thank you so much. And for his constantly protesting this war a double thank you. Did I tell you what happened when he wrote a letter to a Florida newspaper protesting this war- when we first invaded the country - the scum sucking chicken hawks toilet papered his house and called him a coward.

[paula777]

13. Wow, that SUCKS. Your right, they are "scum chicken hawks!"

Your uncle obviously understands the consequences of war and they do not. It's easy to call someone a coward, but actions speak louder than words. They are the cowards!

[DanCa]

14. Thank you Paula

There are so many people hurt and busted up by this war physically and emotionaly it's unreal. I really hope that whatever higher power governs the cosmos (if any) truly makes the man monkey pay for starting the war in iraq. This is the first president I actually feel ill around.
And to our troops that are fighting over seas god love ya guys. And please please stay safe.