Honor the fallen, fight for freedom at home
On Monday, Memorial Day, I plan to join President Donald J. Trump in prayer. I made the decision to pray after reading the president’s proclamation, designating Monday as a day of prayer for permanent peace. Trump set 11 a.m. as a time for people to unite in prayer and called upon the media and officials at all levels of government to cooperate in the observance. He further asked that all Americans observe the National Moment of Remembrance beginning at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day.
These are two things all of us can do, regardless of political affiliation — pray for peace and remember the fallen. As Trump noted, freedom is never free.
“Memorial Day is our Nation’s solemn reminder that freedom is never free,” Trump said in his proclamation. “It is a moment of collective reflection on the noble sacrifices of those who gave the last measure of devotion in service of our ideals and in the defense of our Nation. On this ceremonious day, we remember the fallen, we pray for a lasting peace among nations, and we honor these guardians of our inalienable rights.”
Peace, by definition, is freedom from or the ending of war or violence. Achieving peace is, without doubt, among the most pray-worthy of goals. On Monday, our nation will mark the final resting places of the more than one million men and women who sacrificed their lives for our country, by decorating their graves with American flags, as generations have done since 1868.
“We also proudly fly America’s beautiful flag at our homes, businesses, and in our community parades to honor their memory’” Trump said. “In doing so, we pledge our Nation’s allegiance to the great cause of freedom for which they fought and ultimately died.”
While we pledge our allegiance to the cause of freedom, pray for peace and remember the fallen, how peace will be achieved is worthy of contemplation. Certainly, there are few indicators that it is near — or even a consideration beyond prayers.
Trump’s proclamation was issued last week as he visited the Middle East and boasted about Saudi Arabia’s “purchase of lots of beautiful military equipment because nobody makes it like the United States.” Trump was referring to the U.S. agreement to sell $110 billion in military weapons to the Saudis: tanks, helicopters, ships, intelligence-gathering aircraft, missile-defense radar system and cyber security tools.
So we will continue to arm the home country of Osama bin Laden, where 15 of the 19 terrorists of the 9/11 attacks, originated. We will continue to focus on crack-downs in countries where most of our attackers did not originate.
And it appears we will pass another federal budget flush with trillions in cash to fund on-going military operations and occupations in other counties, while arming our enemies to ensure they have the tools to continue the fight. It makes no sense and we can pray all we want, but peace isn’t the ultimate goal here.
Power and profit know no political affiliation. Trump, despite promises to the contrary like his predecessors, will continue on the same path. Keeping the war machine cranked and the people prayerful, but fearful, serves a purpose many Americans will fail to notice because they are buried to their necks in rhetoric. Recommended reading on the encroaching police state and fascism: http://ronpaulinstitute.org/
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Yes, pray long and hard for peace. Remember the fallen — and their families who are suffering loss. But most importantly, think about what you are going to do to
support peace and actual freedom in America. Peace requires action. There is no better way to honor the sacrifices of those who have died for freedom than to make sure it continues here at home.