Memorial Day 2006

This Memorial Day I find myself overcome with emotion. Great love and sadness for the fallen Americans who died in service to this nation. Anger at the loss and waste from so many wars. Despair that nations of this world will ever live in peace, will ever learn to compete and resolve disputes without killing each other and destroying what civilization our species has achieved.

Last night on “Prairie Home Companio”n Garrison Keillor sang an Americanized version of “And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda”(look in the chat around 6:00 pm). The original lyrics are here. Keillor’s version was “And the Band Played the Star Spangled Banner”, recounting a World War II veteran’s experience and the eternal question of why we celebrate war. He segued into the “Star Spangled Banner” with the audience. Hearing the two anthems together brought tears to my eyes. Simply recalling the moment now does the same.

My feelings spring from many sources. I am forever grateful to the many who defended this country with their lives. They are the “honored dead...who gave their last full measure of devotion.” Theirs is a legacy which honors us and obligates us to serve our own and future generations. Pride is also part of my emotional mix; after 35 years I can finally say that I am proud to have served, to have been associated in some small way with these fallen heroes . Rage about the Iraq war roils me. When I see my country squandering dedicated men and women in such a specious cause, the same anger that I felt about Vietnam seethes back into my head. Iraq rubs raw the wound that has only recently healed. Finally, I am sad at the loss. So many lives. So much treasure. So much of our hard won humanity.

If I were king of the world, I would ban all war and destroy all weapons. I would demand that human beings learn to respect and cooperate with each other. I would insist on peace and nonviolence. If I were king of the world, the long roll of war dead would end; their names would not pass from memory but they would pass into history, a reminder of a time when humans fought and killed one another.

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one.

--John Lennon