As I recall the days of my youth I can still see the services conducted in my home town each Decoration Day, as it was called then.
I was 10 years old before the news was not a daily account of battles on 2 fronts. As I got old enough to play in the band, the war was over and many of the returned veterans took part in the services as we marched the mile from town to the cemetary.
In those days we had vets from WW1 and WW2 participating. As I spent my 2 years in the Army just as Korea was over, and returned home to another town, I no longer saw the services each year.
By then, Memorial day had become a national day of racing as the Indy 500 had been revived after WW2.
Today we see little mention of war dead, as we are focused on school shootings and Wendy's murders.
What has really died in this nation, is that sense of pride and belonging which all families once felt as there were few that had not given a family member to the war effort on a temporary or permanent basis.
Gone are the memories of ration lines, gas coupons, no bananas or any imported food or simple items such as chocolate bars and chewing gum.
When this nation no longer had to sacrifice on the home front to support a war effort, it became a nation of unconcerned persons when a war was entered into. Since the fiasco of Korea, the national will to fight or defend, has been blurred by politicans as they seek ways to retain their power by getting us into any war that can remove focus from their agendas which remain hidden.
Even items such as Watergate allowed us to remain oblivious to the removal of metals backed currency as our national medium of exchange.
Whenever we see an item that remains in the eye of the press, we can almost be certain that another hidden agenda is being pushed through without opposition. (China trade vs; Clinton impeachment)
Elian Gonzales vs: Clinton's plans to meet with Russian leaders over disarmament.
Our men that fought and died for our freedom have been betrayed by those who hold public office.
I assume your memorial day is like our Rememberance day here which comes in November here in Canada and involves remembering those who died in the world wars and services on parliament Hill in Ottawa and throughout the country. You mentioned gas coupons in war years, well gas prices and shortages could be the norm by summer as you can expect to see the highest prices ever due to environmental standards agreed on, - to be met by summer 2000. You will likely notice sharp increases in price this holiday time as we always do in Canada on any long weekend. I see there is a Memorial day parade in L.A. and Civial war rememberance at the Henry Ford Museum in Mich. state as well as a concert in Hampton Beach N.H. not to mention re-enactments all over the country.
