Thursday, May 30, 2019

Memorial Day! When will the madness stop?



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.