In this story in the Salem News, the City and Schools honored veterans old and new (soon-to-be).
We often only hear about the BAD STUFF in the City... here is a bit of good for the day.
While I am not a fan of our current Iraqi conflict, I absolutely applaud and thank those who did, and are and will, serve in the armed forces to protect our freedoms and liberties.
Farewell Dark City....
11 years ago
11 comments:
To all Vets
Thank You!!!!!!
Pretty sad only one post. I hope all you people had a nice day off.
Thank you to all Past, Present and Future Vets.
I agree anon and Peabody Guy...
I was out honoring my own personal veteran today. I hope he enjoyed it.
My thanks to all of you.
For the fallen, in all wars:
When you see millions of the mouthless dead
Across your dreams in pale battalions go,
Say not soft things as other men have said,
That you'll remember. For you need not so.
Give them not praise. For, deaf, how should they know
It is not curses heaped on each gashed head?
Nor tears. Their blind eyes see not your tears flow.
Nor honour. It is easy to be dead.
Say only this, 'They are dead.' Then add thereto,
'Yet many a better one has died before.'
Then, scanning all the o'ercrowded mass, should you
Perceive one face that you loved heretofore,
It is a spook. None wears the face you knew.
Great death has made all his for evermore.
- Charles Sorley (1915)
One of the saddest and truest war poems I have ever read.
OG says..
I think that we should have school on Veterans Day and make it a point at each school building to have some activity that gets away from the daily curriculum and schedule and places the focus on talk/discussion about veterans and those who died serving our country...giving the kids a day off to play video games or hang out at the mall insures that no time will be spent even thinking about about the meaning of veterans day...this could be a day of historical learning -a virtual living history book come to life- and then perhaps some greater appreciation for service to our country may be obtained rather than it simply being a day to sleep in late...we have missed the boat on this opportunity for years and OG says that it is time to rethink the legacy that we are not passing on to our children.
Why not have veterans themselves visit the school and talk to the kids? It would need to be age appropriate, of course, but a little bit of ground truth in the face of video game warfare might make a huge difference in a child's way of thinking about war, honor and sacrifice.
Great idea OG.
Thank you, OG, for sharing a wonderful suggestion. How can we make it a reality?
OG,
Before you know it you'll be looking for the kid's to acknowledge the Peabody Police, and to bow to them as they enjoy their holiday pay while the rest of us are working for a living.
Wow...
OG I agree 100% with your idea. The one factor in this not happening the teachers will never give the day up. Lets take a book out of the Suffolk County book. Make up a Holiday for Essex county and add this day back into the school year. Then use veterans day for what it should be for the kids a learning day. A day to find out what are troops do and sacrafice for us.
I have taken my kids to Arlington National they have seen the tomb of the unknowns. It is amazing to watch a 3 year old that has not stopped talking all day stand in silence. We do not teach enough about our brave men and women. We miss the boat at ever port on this one.
Anon:
I would agree with you that the teachers would not be willing to give up a paid Federal and State holiday... very few, if any of us, would.
I do believe, however, that they would be happy to accommodate a swap in order to do something like OG suggests.
Then again, it might limit the ability of families to attend Veteran's Day events. (And NO I do not mean Sales at Macy's.)
TP
By a show of hand how many people attended VD events. Unless you are a Vet who has fought or are the family of a Vet fighting now you are shopping. I am not saying you but most of us I am as guilty as anyone. It is the samething with Memorial Day it has become a BBQ day. Not many gather and or travel to an event that they do not relate to.
The big issue is we should all relate. We have our freedom's because of the people that these days are marked for.
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