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It’s not about the barbecue, folks. Remember that. Image © AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana   (120 votes) |
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39 Responses to “Memorial Day (Barbecue)”
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Amen
and Amen!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn_iz8z2AGw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhGuhfBk5xk&feature=related
The price of our freedom is never free.
While yes we will BBQ later, my wife, son, daughter and I, will celebrate todays rememberance, with our own little “21 gun salute”. We’re going shooting.
I can think of no better way to remember those who gave all, than by exercising our rights, and enjoying our freedoms. Not by getting drunk, or stupid, but with some good clean fun.
To my brothers in arms throughout time, then, now, and in the future, some who gave all, and others who gave some… Thank You! I remember you this day, as I do every day.
The one you honor:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=14286761
Nick has it again….It Ain’t about the Barbeque….
My Dad and two of my sons have served…My eldest son and I would both have served if they would have had us..
To this day I STILL want to serve and would, in less than a heartbeat, if called.
Long live the U.S.A…and Honor to the men and women in her Military.
Wow, that picture says a thousand words, somebody’s Husband, father, brother, son, now days, somebody’s daughter, wife, Mother. I will raise a toast to our fallen brethren today with a moment of silence. Thanks Nick.
i know this is Canadian, but it applies everywhere
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kX_3y3u5Uo
I would like to thank all to have served and are serving.
Here is a site I found back just before Christmas:
http://www.anysoldier.com/
Under “Where to send” you will find “Any Soldier Address”.
One solider gets mail for a group of soldiers and they share the things you send. Some are looking for items from home and some are just wanting letters from home.
Thanks again to all past and present soldiers.
Absolutely excellent site. I’ve been sending a box a month for the past few years using this site. They make it very easy. They have ideas of what to send and not. And it’s not that expensive. I just get a one dollar box from a local Mart store and fill it with little things I buy throughout the month. One month I go with toiletry items and books and such, the next month I go with food items. Never mix the two, who’d want cookies that smell like body wash? And shipping is never bad, you only pay postage to mail it to one of two military bases here in the states, depending on which half of the country you live in, and they ship it to the soldier anywhere in the world from there.
Makes it very easy to send care packages.
My father served in Germany at the end of WWII, my brother is retired Navy from the Vietnam era, my sister and I both served post-Vietnam, and my nephew served 2 tours in Iraq and Afghanistan with the Marines. On Memorial Day we pay tribute to all our brothers and sisters in arms.
Thanks Nick. Having served 5 years in the Army, thank you for this poetic piece. Tis fitting remembrance to my two friends who will never come home.
And may I suggest a revisit to one of my favorite POD’s of all time.
http://www.nickscipio.com/pod/2010/05/31/memorial-day-graveside/
I looked at this one earlier today. It is very meaningful – and it is a picture that is worth one Million words
It is my favorite POD’s too. Thanks for posting it.
Whilst I have no problem with honouring the dead, and think that what many of the soldiers do is remarkably brave, I would like to make two points. Firstly, with regards to the soldiers protecting our freedom, anybody who seriously believes that a mighty western power like the US is under serious threat from a country like Afghanistan or Iraq clearly watches too much Fox News. Secondly, whilst I mean no disrespect to those who have lost loved ones, the number of soldiers who have lost their lives is remarkably small in comparison to the number of innocent civilians killed by western soldiers. If the war on terror was a response to 9/11, then we have responded to the deaths of a few thousand innocents a hundred times over with the deaths of innocents abroad. For all the time we spend remembering the soldiers who gave their lives, we hardly spend a fleeting second remembering the loss of those caught between us and the terrorists. If we were a civilised nation we would spend the time to remember in particular those who have fallen needlessly at our hand, rather than focusing on the soldiers who, whilst being remarkably brave to be willing to give their lives to the cause, were acting under the jingoistic orders of brainless politicians eager to placate the redneck patriotic voters.
I urge everyone to remember that whilst families have lost their husbands, their fathers, the same has happened on a far greater scale in the countries we have bee ‘liberating’. No human life is worth more than another. Remember the innocents who have died at our hands.
Peace
Yes, some human lives are worth more than others. Our soldiers, sailors, and airmen are worth far more than anyone who’s trying to kill them, anyone who protects/supports/aids our enemy, etc.
All the liberal whining in the world won’t change the fact that I value US citizens’ lives more than anyone else in the world. If it comes down to one of ours versus ten of theirs, I’ll choose ours every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
I want to say to the world, “You want security? Come to America and become a citizen. Fight for us. You want to die? Fight against us.”
It’s as simple as that.
Good to know Jingoism is alive and well in the US of A.
Abso-fucking-lutely. I make no bones about it.
Tell Me, young Nick.
Which of the 3000+ innocent folk who died in 9/11 who wanted nothing more than to live their lives in peace worth any more than the first 3000+ innocent folk who fied subsequently in the Middle-East wanted nothing more than to live their lives in peace as a result of US/UK bombing raids.
And before I get another of your now famous rant, I am not a Liberal Whiner, I was in 2 Para and decorated after serving in the Falklands War. 40 years ago, yesterday, I was two yards away from my best mate when he lost his leg at Goose Green.
At least in that conflict, we knew what and who we were fighting for and the end result was achieved – but not without cost. Would we go back again – you bet your sweet arse we would.
Thank you, Nick, for stating my position much more civilly that I have been able to when dealing with halt-wits (or less.
NOT A THREAT? Then pack your shit and take your family to live in Afghanistan or Iraq, see how long till you beg us to save you. Every action they have taken to grow stronger makes them a threat to MY PEOPLE, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO, AS DID I AND MY FOREFATHERS’, STILL STAND TO PLACE THEIR BODIES BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE EVIL OF THOSE WHOM WISH TO DESTROY NOT ONLY OUR NATION BUT OUR WAY OF LIFE..
I HAVE GIVEN FLESH, BLOOD, AND BONE IN THE SERVICE OF THIS GREAT NATION.
I HAVE FELT THE LOSS OF THOSE OF MY BLOOD THAT DIED IN THE TOWERS AND IN THE WAR.
I HAVE FELT THE LOSS OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS BOUND TO MY FAMILY BY SERVICE AND HONOR AND BY FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE.
I HAVE FELT THE LOSS OF THE ONE I LOVE, THE ONE THAT SAVED MY SOUL, AS I STOOD ABOVE A CASKET WHILE MY FUTURE, MY HAPPINESS, AND MY DREAMS DIED AND LEFT ME WITH THE TEARS THAT SPOTTED HER UNIFORM AND WERE LAID TO REST WITH HER.
I FEEL EVERYDAY THE PAIN AND LOSS, OF MY HEART AND SOUL SHATTERING AS I SEE HER FLAG, MEDALS, INSIGNIA, AND PICTURE INCASED ON MY WALL.
Don’t you dare offer your worthless platitudes then prattle on with your ignorant words. Until you have sacrificed, until you have felt the loss of everything, don’t you fucking dare compare the dangers we face and the numbers lost. My love was worth more than every insurgent, radical, and civilian that has died over there. And were it not for my service and the resulting disability I would be there till the end one way or another.
I AM A WARRIOR OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; I STAND BESIDE THOSE WHOM SERVE WITH HONOR, COURAGE, COMMITMENT, LOYALTY, AND THE BRAVERY TO SACRIFICE THEM SELVES FOR THAT WITCH WE BELIEVE IN.
TO THE HONOR OF MY BROTHERS, SISTERS, AND THOSE WHOM HAVE COME BEFORE US, I SALUTE YOU, I REMEMBER YOU, YOUR SACRIFICES WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.
If you believe this, sign up for the army or marines. Go to a foreign country where they hate you. Go where they will shoot at you, and fire mortars at you on a daily basis trying to kill you or your best friends. Go live the life that brings you the freedom to be a whining little sniveling bag of shit before you try to berate it.
I worked side by side with people of other countries, including the people of Iraq, and the ones I worked with were great. They wanted to defend themselves, they wanted to protect their families and friends, just like I did. They took a stand to make that happen. Which is what I can safely assume is more than you have ever done for anyone else in your life. At this point, those Iraqis lives are also worth more than yours.
Remember the innocents who died at the hands of those who STARTED these wars first.
We don’t start wars – but we damn sure finish them. The only war we really started was the ACW. (That’s because we were on both sides there.)
Complain about American Imperialism all you want – just remember one thing. If we hadn’t thought that freedom around the world was worth fighting for and defending it was worth dying for … well, would an entire Europe run by Hitler, Goering, Goebbels, and the SS really be that appealing? Or would you prefer Stalin ruling everything, with fear being the rule of the day?
Look at China today if you’re so damned blind. One man has the courage to speak out against his government – now the village where he’s from is under lock-down.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-china-chen-thugs-20120528,0,5990316.story
And your freedom to complain to Nick about what he freely posts here – would that exist with government censors?
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/29/world/asia/china-cracks-down-on-its-cagey-web-critics.html?_r=1&hp
Those are from TODAY. Now imagine a world where US citizens hadn’t become soldiers to fight and defend freedom. That would be EVERYWHERE – not just China, and the dissident who spoke out would already be dead – not free now here in – oh, yeah, the US.
Whilst your viewpoint is valid, it is also naive. Do not mistake my love of peace with an inability to defend myself and my loved ones.
The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war. Gen. Douglas Macarthur
Iraq was a turd burger of the highest magnitude and I weep for anyone that looks at Iran as the next middle east misadventure. If you’re slobbering to bomb Iran, you’re an idiot. But you remind me of the lazy idealists that aren’t willing to put the sweat into any of the solutions. Sit in in Starbucks, write your shitty poetry, and sleep in your nice warm safe bed but know that you have paid for none of it. I may be a raging liberal in most respects, (I don’t believe that a pulse is the sole requirement for gun ownership) but today is not the day to spout off. You are just like those “redneck patriotic voters”, you have nothing invested. Two cents is an gross over estimate of your missive.
I fought those guys for over 30 years, I know how they think and work.
YES a country like Afghanistan can damage us badly. BUT they don’t work alone. To look at it as ‘a country” and us is the way they want us to think. it is over 20 countries TOGETHER fighting us. If you want to look at every part by itself lets go.
Can Iraq overcome the 101st?
Can Afghanistan overcome the 89th
and we can go on like this.
By disabled one of then (Afghanistan) we break the offencing line of them.
Oh, almost forgot, what about the hundreds of bombs that were stops / cought / not put because …..
What about the people that don’t even knows they could die if not the war?
What about our econony that they tryed to destroy? look at Greece, Spain, Italy, countries that the very strong economy like Italy and Spain are not as good any more. The ‘across the sea” guys came over and used their “smart liberal” to bring them to their knees.
if someone knows nothing about something but from CNN (not licence in many countries for broadcasting not “true” news and “creating” news) will better go to some better (not good but better) news chanell like Fox.
I myself watch both and some from Europ (much more reliable) and don’t forget the ABC (the most watched news in the world).
I can go on, but don’t think some CNN-head will realy read it
Nick, I know I am a day late but thought that the Anerican version of Terry Kelly’s song appropriate to be shared with the Anerican service men shown. No matter the country wether it be Canada or the good ole USA we must never forget who fought and died for our freedoms and the privileges we enjoy because of those who sacraficed their bodies or to the some who gave all.
http://youtu.be/2Ll4Ej-myoI
Sorry I should have spell checked and I do hope all will forgive me for misspelling American. Fingers just too fast and mind too slow.
Rest easy, sleep well my brothers. Know the line has held, your job is done. Rest easy, sleep well. Others have taken up where you fell, the line has held. Peace, peace, and farewell.
Please remember that the “others” include every single recipient of freedom. A great tragedy is that when you read the ages on the gravestones, these are just kids, just a few years past getting a driver’s license, first job, etc. Many of their life’s milestones and achievements will go unfulfilled because of their sacrifice. We all owe them a debt that can never fully be repaid.
They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not wither them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them.
Amen. It’s nice to know that there are still Americans who remember that it’s about those who have sacrificed everything and that we need to honor, defend, and remember them always.
Lost a brother in Viet Nam.He was my Hero.Not a day goes by that I don’t feel the loss.I want to thank everyone on this site who has served or lost someone who has served.God Bless our military,and God Bless the U.S.A.
Col. McCrae said it better than I ever could.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.*
*In Flanders Fields and other Poems
Published 1919 Col. John Mccrae.
Amen…
I just posted to my tumblr wall about a soldier who, before he signed up in 1914, left his bicycle near a tree… The bike is still there in a most unusual fashion… :/
The bike is real, the back story is made up. The bike is only from the 50′s and was just left there by a boy, not a soldier.
http://www.snopes.com/photos/natural/bicycle.asp
Age shall not weary, nor the years condemn,
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
Sorry, I had not read down and seen that you had already quoted from Laurence Binyon’s “For the Fallen” when I posted my addendum to tc’s sentiments.
No matter. Those who have fallen in the service of their country deserve every prayer offered.
No matter. The souls of those who have served their countries deserve every prayer offered for them.