Berlin NY Memorial Day Parade 2009

In upstate NY is my small town of Berlin. We have annual Memorial Day and 4th of July parades. All the fire departments and Veterans organizations march in these parades. The Memorial Day parade is much smaller than the 4th of July since it is mostly about the military.

One of the people watching this parade was a fine young man who was sent to Iraq and was severely brain damaged by an IED. It just breaks one's heart, seeing him suffer. Yet, he tries his best to smile for everyone.

The number of vets in our parade are actually dropping due to the WWII, Korean War and Vietnam War vets passing on, one by one. The people who are presently serving in the military aren't here, either. They are overseas. And I am most certainly not anti-military. We need these selfless men and women to protect our nation. But misusing these citizens for imperial wars of dubious or outright wrong purposes: this, I oppose.

Obama must bring our troops home, now. Not next year or 10 years from now.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• veterans
• WWII
• Vietnam War
• parades
• small towns
• patriotic Americans

[emsnews]

Sleepy Lagoon was named after a song made popular in 1942 by the famous trumpeteer Harry James, a contemporary of Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman. James' instrumental version of the tune was one of best-selling records of the year.

[Immortal7Cofjn]

I miss living in Berlin...:(

[tommyyjayy]

Nice parade Elaine,I liked the music.Could you tell me who that was playing?