Never in the history of the world has any soldier sacrificed more for the freedom and liberty of total strangers than the American soldier. —Zell Miller
National Anthem Shall Be Sung!
Last Wednesday at a campaign rally in Anaheim, California, when he arrived Donald Trump was told that they would not be singing the National Anthem as was originally planned and as is customary. The singer was there, in fact he spoke with the woman who was supposed to sing for the crowd and she told him that the reason had something to do with television cameras. That’s no reason in Trump’s book.
Trump started his speech by saying, “Here’s what happened. I got here, and they said to me, ‘We don’t have time for the National Anthem.’ And I said, ‘Yes we do!’ We have time for the National Anthem, right?” So he asked Sherry Wilkins to come up and sing the National Anthem, and she did a beautiful job of it. This is the kind of president we need, a real patriot who is proud to be an American.
Decoration Day, aka Memorial Day
There are only two holidays a year that bring me to tears. The first is Decoration Day (now Memorial Day) and the second is Independence Day, July 4th. A few years ago, I wrote an article entitled Real Americans. I told of the loss and heartbreak I felt when I saw the flags waving and heard the firecrackers. The loss of what we once were, and what we have become, is overwhelming. The same feeling is present with Decoration Day.
This weekend we celebrate those who have died for this country, those who gave all for freedom and liberty. Decoration Day started with a commemoration to the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War. In the south, southern ladies’ groups commemorated the fallen on different days than the holiday of the north. However, by the 20th century, all American soldiers who had fallen in war were remembered on the last Monday in May, although originally May 30th. Decoration Day meant placing flowers on the graves of the fallen. Today, those who know the true meaning of the holiday visit the cemeteries not only to decorate the graves of fallen American soldiers, as well as those who served our country, but also to remember their deceased ancestors.
Our Flag Honors the Fallen
The Memorial Day flag is to be raised briskly to the top of the pole at dawn and then lowered to half-mast until noon. This is done in remembrance. At noon, the flag is again raised to the top of the pole for the remainder of the day.
As a youngster, I always went with my grandparents to the cemetery to clean up the gravesites, place flowers, and sit a spell to remember those we lost. It was a quiet day, one that was somewhat solemn.
Today, this holiday of commemoration has become one of barbeques, picnics, baseball and swimming. It no longer is a day of solemn remembrance of our nation’s loss. When I think of all those who have served, I remember those in my own dear family, and the losses.
Grief
On these holidays, I grieve. I grieve for what we’ve lost, what we were, what we once had, and what we’ve now become. I grieve for my nation, for her soul, and for her people who are too busy watching Dancing with the Stars and Survivorto see what has happened to our beloved country. I grieve because we’ve thrown God out of every facet of American society. I grieve because we think nothing of murdering 60 million babies in their mothers’ wombs. I grieve because I see the losses. I grieve because I know too much, and I grieve because so few are fighting to save her…our once great America and her God-given freedoms. I grieve, I mourn, and I weep, and I’m still fighting to save her. Dear God in heaven, I grieve, but…. this year…
This Year is Different
This year, for the first time in 53 years, we have hope. That hope has come to us in the form of a billionaire businessman whose plain spoken, shoot from the hip comments and policies have awakened the masses who love this country. This year, the veterans know the GOP presumptive nominee is on their side. This year, we look forward to turning the tide back to the great America we once knew. This year, we know our candidate hears us. This year we have someone who insists the National Anthem be sung at all his rallies! This year we have someone who resonates with the masses, and God willing, this year we’ll have a newly elected President who loves America and her people. Thank you Donald J. Trump for giving us renewed hope.
