November 11, the armistice in the Great War, which was supposed to have ended all wars. My cousin Joels grandfather, Adrian, died at the Somme. Our joint grandfather, Orville, served at the Rockefeller Institute studying diseases for the Army during that great war. My father served in New Guinea and the Philippines. My brother served in Vietnam, another in the National Guard. My cousins were in Vietnam. My great-grandfather marched with Sherman to the sea. My husband was at Normandy with the Royal Navy. I hate war, I dont understand the urge to slaughter on the grand scale or the petite, but I honor the members of my family and of yours who did their duty and risked their lives. My other grandfather risked death to come to this country, fleeing on foot across the Carpathian mountains, so that he could live in freedom. I wish we could turn our backs on our obsession with wealth, our willingness to neglect the poor and needy in our midst, to let our bridges and roads and schools collapse rather than work together for the common good. Our veterans made and make great sacrifices for the common good. This Veterans Day, instead of a sentimental salute at a football game, I pledge to honor their sacrifice by increasing my support for vital programs in our nations underbelly.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Nov 2014 04:20:52 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015