Ezra Klein: Memorial Day

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May 30, 2005

Memorial Day

For all of the men and women who fought for the people of America, not just the soldiers in the trenches and battlefields who fought the foreign enemies of our people, but the union members who faced the Pinkertons, the marchers who faced the police and their dogs, and each person with the courage to speak out for the people: Thank you for your courage and sacrifices. I remember you, and will do my best to honor you with works and words.

For the man who sacrificed a lifetime of peaceful nights for his service in a dirty war that few of us even know took place, and then spent the rest of his life serving our children: Thank you for your sacrifices and the lessons that you taught. May you at long last have the peace that you deserved. I remember you, and will do my best to honor you with works and words.

For the young man who is just beginning his service to the people of America, even while he knows that he can not trust the leaders to which he has sworn obedience: I thank you for your courage, and will do my best to honor you with works and words. Come home safe. Don't make me remember you.

- paperwight

May 30, 2005 | Permalink

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Comments

That was just awful.

Posted by: Robert Zimmerman | May 30, 2005 5:34:29 PM

Nice to see you in awe of something, Zimmy.

Posted by: opit | May 30, 2005 10:04:29 PM

Thanks, John.
Yes, I am in awe of how anyone can take a day like memorial day, a day that is set aside to honor those who have died in the line of military duty, and politicize it to the degree of attempting to include union goons and civil rights advocates. Especially vile is the swipe at the current living soldier who this author believes volunteered to serve an administration he doesn't trust.
The piece is a crock and I am ashamed for the author since he doesn't have the good sense to be ashamed for himself.

Posted by: Robert Zimmerman | May 31, 2005 8:45:30 AM

Let us leave aside for a moment the disagreement between Mr. Zimmerman and me about whether it's appropriate to honor those who have risked their lives for a better life for all Americans.

It's truly fascinating that Mr. Zimmerman can believe that (apparently because I am a liberal) I don't actually know a living soldier, or that said soldier can't actually have volunteered to serve the American people because he thinks it's the right thing to do even while he doesn't trust the Bush Administration, or that my fear for that young man's safety is somehow a swipe at him. Apparently any honest expression of concern for our troops which falls outside of the approved pro-Republican line must be somehow false.

Posted by: paperwight | May 31, 2005 10:11:26 AM

Let us leave aside for a moment the disagreement between Mr. Zimmerman and me about whether it's appropriate to honor those who have risked their lives for a better life for all Americans.

Let's not. Let's hold your feet to the fire. This day is for those who died in the military service of the US. It's not for the unions, it's not for the gays, it's not for the liberals nor the conservatives to politicize.
If you wish to have congress set aside a day to honor unions, then do so. Until then, it is simply disrespectful to do what you do.

Posted by: Robert Zimmerman | May 31, 2005 11:57:07 AM

We disagree, Mr. Zimmerman. You simply can't my feet to the fire, since your opinions have no weight with me. I think it was disrespectful for the President to politicize the day, which he did by using it for a speech puffing up his deceitful war (itself disrespectful of the lives he's wasted), when he could not be bothered to go to even one military funeral until now, when his SecDef had to be *shamed* into actually signing condolence letters, when he and his party are cutting veteran's benefits, when he and his party can't be bothered to actually equip the soldiers they send into harm's way.

I honor everyone who has sacrificed and risked their life and safety to build the country. That's not disrespectful. Your party's leader, he's disrespectful, as are you by your reflexive jingoism.

Posted by: paperwight | May 31, 2005 12:46:28 PM

...since your opinions have no weight with me.

Just imagine how I must feel...

Posted by: Robert Zimmerman | May 31, 2005 12:50:52 PM

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