I have been getting some emails from friends wishing me a very "Happy" Memorial Day. I want to tell you, I totally understand the sentiment, but the word "Happy" just doesn't fit. It's not a "happy" day for a lot of families. It's a day of reflecting, and day of remembrance and a day of many tears.

The "Memorial Day Blowout Sale" is an insult to Gold Star Families. These families have lost a loved one during the time of war. I never forget the stores that features this kind of ridiculous advertising ... do they really think they are clever. Are the "marketing teams" in these high level advertising jobs that ignorant as to the real meaning of this day or are they just insensitive and don't care?

I want to thank the families of all Brave Warriors who have paid the ultimate price, and cashed the check for American Freedom. Freedom is not free, our troops paid for it with their sweat and blood for over 230 years.

Please remember our First Responders as well, their heroics came to light after the cowardly attacks on our innocent American brothers and sisters in New York, Washington D. C. and in Shanksville, PA on September 11th. The First Responders (especially FDNY and NYPD) have always been on the "frontline" in regards to American civilian safety, most of us (me included) just never noticed it before September 11th.

While you are cooking-out with your families this weekend, celebrating American freedom, please remember all the families that will be visiting the cemeteries; please remember all the military personnel who will be laying wreaths at the memorials around the country and around the world, honoring their own.  Maybe we can all honor the Gold Star Families by saying a silent, special pray of thanks to these familes for the gift of their son's and daughter's; fathers and mothers; family and friends.

Special thanks to the families of this blog's readers, who's family members have recently paid the ultimate price; This weekend my prayers will be with the families of;

Keith "Matt" Maupin - US Army
Cory Palmer - USMC
Derek Argel - USAF (KIA on Memorial Day - '05)
Phil Frank - USMC
Geoff Morris - USMC
Ryan J. Cantafio - USMC (my cousin)

Have a very Holy and safe Memorial Day. God bless our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coast Guard and First Responders ... God bless America

 

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