The May 25 Memorial Day observation took place on a beautiful, sunny and mild day. Brian Flora, a Vietnam veteran and retired U.S. diplomat led the proceedings, which, as in past years, were held in front of the Peace Triumphant memorial in Scoville Park. The ceremony honors those U.S. military who died in service to our country, in whichever war their deaths occurred. And the U.S. has been “at war” for the much of our soon-to-be celebrated 250th anniversary.
We have sent troops into combat mode in the Civil War, Korean War, Vietnam, Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq. We now can include the Iran conflict in our listing of military deployments.
Brian Flora struck me as someone exceptionally qualified to lead the proceedings. He was part of the Vietnam deployment and then spent about 30 years in our diplomatic corps. When the program ended, I spoke to him briefly, wanting to get his opinion on our current involvement in Iran, which polls show the majority of citizens disapprove of. He expressed frustration as well as total bewilderment at the clear lack of forethought by our government and the military, bombing Iran and thinking there would be a quick completion of its objective. Going on four months later, the Strait of Hormuz is still blockaded. The global economy is convulsing.
We seem to shoot first now, then ask questions … all too much later.
As someone drafted to help save the world from communism via Vietnam, I’d say WWII was the last time our military absolutely had to go to war. It was a war to save the world from Fascism. Hundreds of thousands of our troops died in achieving that goal. On D-Day, June 6, 82 years ago, our historic storming of the beaches in northern France helped hasten the fall of the Third Reich.
Yet here we are. Again. Right here in the USA, with a creepy administration channeling all the evils of Fascist rule. How did we get here? Who voted for this? What a betrayal of all the Allied casualties from WWII! Clearly, it brings to mind that adage about the dangers of not learning from history.
I hope to see this current incarnation of hating, scapegoating, lawlessness and unaccountability brought down. How? When? Time will tell. But it absolutely cannot be allowed to stand. And when it falls, we can commemorate those who have been sacrificed by its extremism and those who eventually help destroy it. And the current corrupted system that produced it as well.
Joseph Harrington
Oak Park