Memorial day week-end has already begun! At least, as far as the advertisers are concerned.Most of this, I understand.They have everything available on sale to support your picnics and your family reunions at the local park,including, but certainly not limited to your hot dogs, buns,coolers,ice, pop,and the dinnerware needed to consume these things.The Sunday paper was crammed full of the ads from all the stores,as well it should be. In addition, they also offer the usual warmer weather garb and gear for all and sundry from sunglasses, to flip-flops, and summer toys for the kids. I suppose that is considered good timing. However. I consider it just a little strange that the only REAL memorial day items, are located in the CENTER of the sale paper, and the only items on that page, are "patriotic t-shirts" and flags, from the tiniest thing you can get,maybe for the centerpiece of your table, to a large 3 ft. by 5 ft. flag, and even a lighted American flag, the length of which is 18 inches! That's it. No flowers! No cemetery vases, no nothing to actually memorialize your loved ones. Okay? No! Not okay. Now we have to have mind games, where we play up the fun stuff,and try to minimize the true meaning of the day! My thoughts and remembrances go back, not so very long ago,when we went to the cemetery first thing, memorial day morning, and took real flowers, like peonies and roses out of our yard, to decorate the graves of our fallen heroes,and at that very site, we would pray for our boys overseas who were still fighting for our freedom, and that was the most important part of memorial day for us. The hot dogs and the rest of the picnic was sometimes necessary because some of us would have to travel hundreds of miles to get to that grave site,and we would be hungry long before we got back home. Not for fun! That wasn't the idea of the whole day! But, once again, the advertisers have gone on to cash in on something that should remain what it was to begin with,and changed the whole meaning of the day. Do you think I am exaggerating? How about this? I noticed the television advertisers are giving it a pretty good going over as well. They're having a car sale for memorial day week-end! How's that to celebrate the holiday?
But, it gets worse. Much, much worse. Along with barbecue grills and all the stuff that goes with them, locally, there is a night out with the family being touted,with hot dogs,and beer and cheerleader t-shirts, at the ballgame, with fireworks being shown after the game. This is done with some local goober with a foam finger on one hand,and a beer in the other, collecting his hot cheerleader poster, and grinning drunkenly from ear to ear! YEAH! That is what my relatives and my ancestors died to protect. That is what our boys are overseas right now putting their lives on the line for. The freedom to go to the ballpark,and get snookered, while waving a foam finger around in the air, and get free hot cheerleader posters,while watching grown men play a game,and then to watch an areal fireworks display. Fine family entertainment, huh? Say! by the time the fireworks start, the kids are probably sound asleep in their mother's shoulder.
Saddest of all, the whole mess of advertising, and ballparks,and fireworks will be repeated again in a few weeks, for the forth of July! Certainly, the whole point of that holiday will be minimized,or even ignored, once again. God help us. Is nothing sacred? Have we no shame? As a nation, shouldn't Americans hang on to our honor, ideals, and uphold our traditions, and put an end to this trivializing of our national holidays? They were begun to call a time of remembering that our for fathers fought hard for our freedoms, rights, and God blessed opportunities to worship openly and freely.And now, the advertisers are working just as hard to sell us down the river,and make us to forget all of that in the name of the Almighty dollar!
So! What are you going to do about it? Let it slide off your back, or stand up for what this country is all about? Take advantage of the sales and the free hot cheerleader posters, or do the right thing? Myself, I am a flag-waver, from way back. I'll be the one sitting there with the old glory, one hung over the front door, one at the back, with some really old little ones,to take to the cemetery memorial day morning.There to honor my grandfather, and my brother,both veterans, unsung heroes,to decorate their graves,and pause in prayer for a few moments to ask the lord to protect our men, even now, in combat. After all, that is the proper way to celebrate memorial day. I hope to see you there.
OUI?
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