Richard Russell: “Monday is Memorial Day, the
day in which we show our appreciation to the hundreds of thousands of men who
have died in America’s wars. My family on my father’s side has fought in all of
America’s major wars, from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War to World War
I and World War II. Last night I watched Ken Burns’ amazing documentary, The
Civil War.
Casualties and deaths during the Civil War were astounding. During
the Civil War, two percent of the population of the US died. Of the deaths in
the Civil War, two out of three were caused by disease or infection. I
don’t think I’d ever call the world civilized until men cease killing each
other in wars.
One
of the most tragic images you will ever see is that of the sad young girl
(below) who is comforted by her
brother as she mourns at her father’s grave. Her father lost his life in the
Iraq War at the young age of 30, leaving behind his wife and children. The
distraught young girl can be seen clinging to her father’s tombstone on
Memorial Day — a tragic image and a harsh reminder of how the horror of
war impacts so many lives.
