I always thought having a flyover for the Memorial Day parade was a little excessive, so I was surprised how much I missed it when it didn't happen this morning. I guess that was due to a budget cutback, although we are practically in the landing pattern for an Air Force Base so how much would it cost? (Plenty, I suppose. But still.)
It was a pretty small turnout too – much smaller than usual. And I couldn't help but notice that, aside from the uniformed cop on the corner, I was the only guy on the block who put his hat or even his hand over his heart when the flag passed by. That's the price of being ancient, I guess.
I hear a lot of people complaining these days about troops behaving badly. I'm sure some do, just as some have in every war for all time. But most don't. And very few of them are there because they really want to be.
What Memorial Day should remind us, it seems to me, is that it is a very grave responsibility to send young men and women to war, and a responsibility we all share.
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