According to George Will, the last living WWI vet lives in WV.
At any rate, remember what the holiday is really all about.
A tribute to fallen West Virginians here.
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Come for the politics, stay for the snark.
This really is a full service blog.
He wakes up lying, and he lies all day.
“The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.”
They love authoritarianism, but only when they get to be the authoritarians.
If a good thing happens for a bad reason, it’s still a good thing.
“Can i answer the question? No you can not!”
This country desperately needs a functioning fourth estate.
When you’re a Republican, they let you do it.
The line between political reporting and fan fiction continues to blur.
Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.
Republicans got rid of McCarthy. Democrats chose not to save him.
You cannot love your country only when you win.
The fundamental promise of conservatism all over the world is a return to an idealized past that never existed.
Republicans: The threats are dire, but my tickets are non-refundable!
Thanks to your bullshit, we are now under siege.
“I was told there would be no fact checking.”
Cancel the cowardly Times and Post and set up an equivalent monthly donation to ProPublica.
I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.
One of our two political parties is a cult whose leader admires Vladimir Putin.
Do we throw up our hands or do we roll up our sleeves? (hint, door #2)
It’s a good piece. click on over. but then come back!!
“Just close your eyes and kiss the girl and go where the tilt-a-whirl takes you.” ~OzarkHillbilly
Seems like a complicated subject, have you tried yelling at it?
“Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on.”
r€nato
getting pissy because Google didn’t put up a special graphic to commemorate the holiday?
b. hussein canuckistani
Being smug while your Canadian neighbours slave at work?
SamFromUtah
Some of us Americans have to work too, b. hussein, but your point is taken.
I will raise a cup of Office Coffee in honor of our veterans.
w vincentz
Ahh yes, another Memorial Day. A day to remember again all those that bought into the propaganda and paid the price with their lives. A day to remember all those that gave so much so the very few could gain so much.
I caught Chimp’s remarks at his wreath planting at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Yessiree…makes one proud that he mentioned that those that died in Iraq gave their lives for the USA. Another lie! They died to support an illeagal invasion, liberate the Iraqis and find nonexistant WMDs.
And so it goes……..
Oh yeah, HAPPY FUCKIN’ MEMORIAL DAY!
ThymeZone
No, we must disagree most profoundly. Service is about service, not about “buying into propaganda.”
Memorial Day is about service, and only service.
Service is not about approval, or proselytizing, or support of a government, or about politics.
Memorial Day is about taking one day out of 365 in a year to just honor service in the plainest sense. Not to glorify it in some maudlin way, nor to denigrate it with political criticism. Just thank the people who gave it. That’s it.
mellowjohn
REMEMBER
If you are able,
save a place for them
inside of you. And
save one backward glance
when you are leaving for the places they can no longer go.
Be not ashamed to say that you loved them,
though you may not have always.
Take what they have left,
and what they have taught you
with their dying
and keep it your own.
And in a time
when men decide and feel safe
to call war insane,
take one moment to embrace
those gentle heroes
you left behind.
Major Michael Davis O’Donnell, helicopter pilot
1 January 1970, Dak To, Vietnam
KIA, March 24, 1970
EnderWiggin
What ThymeZone said, plus remember that Memorial Day isn’t about the Bush or Iraq:
“Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who perished while in military service to their country. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War, it was expanded after World War I to include casualties of any war or military action.”
I think all of us, minus any left over RONPAUL! Bots can get behind honoring those that died fighting the Civil War.
bostondreams
As we remember our own war dead, let us not forget those who still serve. I know it is not Veteran’s Day..but we want these men and women to live to BE veterans. My friends, we have a situation in this country. We have a situation that should make us ashamed as Americans, and that situation is how we treat those who have fought for our Constitution, who have willingly surrendered themselves to fulfill the needs of the country, so that most of the rest of us need not. And how do we treat those heroes? We ignore them, we forget them, we fail to pay them the honor they deserve. Ladies and gentlemen, I’m sure most of you have see the recent reports that 25% of all homeless in America are veterans. These men and women are suffering, from substance abuse, from post traumatic stress disorder, and from so many issues related to their service and their return home that it makes one cry. Broken homes, broken soldiers.
So I ask you, remember those who have served our nation. Thank a veteran of the Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, and of course my own Air Force. And don’t forget those in the Reserves and the Guard, who may have been asked to do more than they ever expected as we enter the 7th year of the current war. It matters not how you feel about this war, but these men and women deserve our respect. Hug them. Thank them. And to those of you who have served and continue to serve, thank you. Please consider donating to your local VFW or American Legion, or to the organization USVETS (https://www.usvetsinc.org/how_help/).
w vincentz
TZ,
Though I usually agree with you, sorry, not this time.
If you do a little bit of research about what this holiday is really about, you might find the 1950 Joint Resolution of Congress (64 Stat. 158) initiated this day for a different purpose than the one you cite.
In fact, today is a “national day of prayer for peace”.
So, my friend, may you find the time today to remember the value of peace, and take the time to pray for it.
ThymeZone
Sorry, I don’t let the congress of 1950 decide what I do.
The day is about what we say it’s about. I say it’s about thanking those who gave service.
You can say it’s about whatever you want to say it’s about.
Once the buttheads in congress get done with their speeches and we have the holiday, it belongs to us. Not them.
And so my point is, if we can’t take one day a year to thank the people who gave service without reservation, then we don’t really deserve their service.
bostondreams
QFT
w vincentz
TZ,
I’ll pray for their peaceful return from service.
And I’ll also pray that they realize the value of peace.
Only therein will they realize the folly of continued US militarism throughout the planet and thereby prevent their sons and daughters from perpetuating the absurdity of their actions.
PEACE!
dave
Here’s the story of the WWI vet.
Carnacki
John,
Thirty two of our fellow West Virginians: Memorial Day in West Virginia.
ThymeZone
Peace out, brother.
w vincentz
AMEN! TZ.
douglasfactors
Just to clarify, Frank Buckles is the last surviving doughboy.
There are a dozen Great War veterans worldwide, including Harry Patch, who fought at Passchendaele, and Henry Allingham, the oldest living man in Europe, who survived the Battle of Jutland.
w vincentz
My friend Tom is here and he wants to say something.
Here he is…
Regardless if you are a Hillary presidential wannabe by committee supporter or an Obama yes man, or swing the other way and stick with Republican mess, we should put all the afore mentioned aside, and salute and think about the young men and women and their families that have gone through what they have in the purpose of our country.
God speed and safety for our service members.
Tom
W here,
That’s my “blue collar buddy” sppeakin’ from his heart. I agree.
srv
What FDChief said:
ThymeZone
Well said guys.
w vincentz
TZ,
Tom here…
Finally it’s nice to have a political opinion and not have it turn into a venomous arguement that neglects the real consequences of poor decision making.
Nice to hear you agree brother. Bring ’em home safely!
Tom
ThymeZone
Amen.
Graeme
We were out for a walk earlier, and we saw lots of contractor types out working on home improvements for folks. Probably putting in nice countertops.
I’m sure Malkin isn’t posting today in honor of our troops, but I’m sure she’ll be looking into why those in the construction trades are in league with Bin Laden.
I’m off to take a look at what the wingnuts have to say about these people working today and how they’re shitting on the memory of our fallen troops. I sure hope our keyboard kommandos do a full expose!
Wait a minute… I should take this opportunity to mention I’m a different kind of Wing Nut: GO WINGS!
OriGuy
Mark Twain’s The War Prayer should be read everywhere today.
TenguPhule
It would be a lot easier if that Asshole Bush would stop trying to make today all about himself.
w vincentz
Thank you Origuy for sharing Mark Twain’s war prayer.
Those words are far better than anything I could possibly say.
Pray for peace.
And, again, thanks.