memorial day

Well, its Memorial Day again and, as usual, there are a lot of sales going on. It's a good time to exercise that freedom to buy stuff. It maybe that some of you can't afford to buy much of anything right now.

Not to worry. I've heard that this is just a minor inconvenience and will pass almost immediately!

soon!

not long now!

well maybe!

For sure next year.

Maybe!

Anyway, this is that day where we all stop to think about the lives that have been asked for by our country and freely given by those who wished to physically defend our way of life; as well as other people's ways of living all over the world.

True. military service is only one way to support our country, but it is one of the few that has a lethal and or fatal possible outcome. So, we take a day every year to sell stuff cheap, go camping, have a barbecue, or party with friends. Sometimes we have parades.

Hmm, sounds like Christmas, spring break and a tailgate party all in one.

I know it sounds like it should be a more somber occasion, but we are free to do whatever we want. How we celebrate the dead is our business. True our rights have changed but hey, we can still party.

Right!

The thing we all need to remember is this. The people, who run the military and decide whether there will be war or not, take their awesome power very seriously. They do not send young folks off on a whim or an ill-defined mission without thorough and complete planning based on the best intelligence. That is why, since WWII, we have not been needlessly involved in any armed conflicts.

Naa! Just kidding!

I've heard it said that people who join the services are suckers and losers. It seems to me that members of the armed services are just like every other citizen. I've been in and out and have not noticed a difference. I guess we are all suckers and losers to people who feel that way.

Hell, some of the people who feel that way own their own rockets. One way to get away from the suckers and losers.

When I occasionally have someone thank me for my service, I often feel like saying don't thank me now. I'm not done yet, and neither are you. We're all for our country, aren't we? Well, most of us are. There're always a few whose honor and loyalty can be bought or sold. Thank God that they are not running the show.