They Did Not Die For This - A reflection on Memorial Day in the Age of Trump

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Memorial Day is the nation’s day to mourn and honor the men and women who died in service to the United States. It is the day we are supposed to stop, look at the graves, read the names, and remember that every war speech, every deployment order, every reckless military adventure, every botched intelligence briefing, and every Pentagon power struggle is not theoretical. It ends, for some families, with a folded flag.

That is why this Memorial Day should not be only sentimental. It should be clarifying. If Democrats regain power next year, they need to take drastic, politically risky action on behalf of the nation’s military and the rest of us.

I’ll get to what Democrats need to do in a moment. But first, some reflections on what has become of our armed services under the “leadership” of the current commander in chief and his secretary of defense.

If we actually honor those who died for this country, then we owe those still serving a Department of Defense run by serious people. We owe them a White House that treats war as a grave constitutional responsibility, not a branding exercise to detract from pedophilia scandals or a Crusader reenactment. We owe them civilian leaders who understand that the military is not a Fox News segment with aircraft carriers or a laboratory for Christian nationalism. It is not a stage for humiliating Black and female officers, transgender troops or anyone else who does not fit Pete Hegseth’s cosplay vision of warrior masculinity.

https://saltypolitics.substack.com/p/they-did-not-die-for-this

[slightlv]

1. I have two of those folded flags

and a mother buried next to one of those whom the flags represent. I haven't been this mournful on a Memorial Day ever that I can remember. I guess because I'm so close to be buried in one myself at this point... and wishing it could be next to my Mom and Dad. But also because this country is so far off course and I don't see it getting back on track in my lifetime. For someone who tried all her life to do the right thing, knowing how far things are amiss and not being able to do anything about it now, hurts bad. My grandson, tho, came in first thing and gave me a hug and a "thank you for your service" first thing before I even barely had my eyes open. He knows the real reason for the day, but said he wanted me to know he thought I was so brave to fight to go into the service, at a time where women were still shut out of almost everything. Bless him. I wish I were leaving a better world for him.