A Bilateral Memorial Tribute
Without question only a hardcore, insensitive pacifist would ignore the untimely death of military soldiers. In actuality this is only one day we set aside to honor generally the fallen. In essence, we recognize the sacrifice on every patriotic holiday. The country’s awareness of defense and military dominance in our culture is fully imbedded throughout the year.
President’s Day,, Armed Services Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Pearl Harbor Day and individual state observances as well. You can’t ignore the fact these are integrated and form our unity, identity and commitment to expenditures of blood, vast and unaccountable economic resources.
Lost in all the reflexive salutes today I feel compelled to memorialize the forgotten millions of lives sacrificed on the altar of unquestioned, sometimes unchallenged, military aggression given permission by our churches, educational institutions and government-fortified policies.
The spiral of economic distress that compels many to enlist their lives as a means toward solvency in spite of having reservations toward allegiance to dubious memes of honor, duty, patriotism, etc. is an age-old travesty. Ultimately, we are all held hostage to the compulsion to enlist our civilian and soldier persona for endless campaigns that cost all of us.
Today is a Memorial Day for all of us who have died and will die on the militarized streets of America, hospitals, schools, all public places and countless homes shorted of financial means to support and honor a true American allegiance.
We could do so much more today and in every flag-waving compulsion to remember the sacrifice prevailing over this country today surmounts more than uniforms of war, but all the uniforms of we the people in every corner of America.