A Rant about Patriots Day

Happy Patriots Day to you and yours coming from a scribe living in the heart of America's fight for Independence and of course (in my opinion) the cradle of liberty (aka Boston). I guess that is also why things are so screwed up around here as the residents of this fine state may have gotten a little sloppy when it comes to what the Constitution actually says and permits that Government to do.

As a transplanted New Yorker I had no idea what Patriots Day was but in researching it on Wikipedia I learned that it "is a civic holiday commemorating the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first battles of the American Revolutionary War". It is also the day that the Boston Marathon is run so it has that going for it as well.

So I attended a parade and watched the Regulars and the Colonists and the Marching Bands and the Shriner's clowns and all that and of course there was a large military contingent on hand to march in the parade. Active Duty as well as Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) for short.

How appropriate that a day such as Patriots Day would also honor those men and women that gave their sacred honor in pursuit of a cause no less worthy and no less costly than our own Revolution. So now for the rant - WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE? GET OFF YOUR ASSES AND STAND AND SHOW THESE ANCIENT WARRIORS A LITTLE RESPECT AS THEY PASS YOU BY.

I was amazed that I was only one of the few people that actually stood to honor these men and women who had seen so much and done so much and heeded the call of their country. I was actually ashamed by the people I was with not realizing the honor that they had in seeing these men and women in the flesh and missing their chance to stand and be counted as people who appreciate those that sacrificed so much for us, the living and the dead.

What are we teaching our young these days? Parents, you should be encouraging your kids to appreciate and honor as best they can those Soldiers, Airman, Sailors, Marines that have done so much for this country and asked for little in return. We owe them a lot and the least we can do is to show them the proper respect when they come walking by in a parade honoring our Patriots. We may not be able to shake Paul Revere's hand, or tell George Washington what a great commander and 1st President he was. But we can reach out to the Veteran and thank them for their service and demonstrate a little (yes a little) gratitude for their past endeavors.

OS

Happy Belated Veterans Day

Although many of us had a 3 day weekend (or 4 day in some cases), due to Veterans Day the real holiday was on 11 November and I was away or I would have posted something as not only am I a veteran but come from a family of veterans both brothers, fathers, uncles and godfathers. I was remiss in not acknowledging the debt that this country owes its veterans.

I can't say it any better than Ronald Reagan, quoted on the PatriotPost website.

"We’re gathered today, just as we have gathered before, to remember those who served, those who fought, those still missing, and those who gave their last full measure of devotion for our country... One of those who fell wrote, shortly before his death, these words: ‘Take what they have left and what they have taught you with their dying and keep it with your own. And take one moment to embrace those gentle heroes you left behind."

Regan continues:

"Most of all, we remember the devotion and gallantry with which all of them ennobled their nation as they became champions of a noble cause... Our liberties, our values, all for which America stands is safe today because brave men and women have been ready to face the fire at freedom’s front. And we thank God for them."

I can't improve upon that. Thank you to all our veterans for your service and sacrifice.

Outspoken Roman