Tag: memorial day

A prayer for Memorial Day

Our God and God of our ancestors,
as we [prepare to] observe another Memorial Day in America,
bless us with the gifts of memory and understanding,
that we may appreciate the true meaning of this [that] day,
an annual occasion to honor the brave men and women
who gave their lives for our country
and for their fellow citizens.

God of compassion,
let those who made the ultimate sacrifice,
so that we may live in freedom,
rest in peace,
honored by a grateful nation.
Remember their parents,
partners,
children
and all the loved ones they left behind.
Protect and comfort them;
bring them peace.

 
God of justice,
remind us of the debt we owe
to those who lost their lives in the defense of our nation,
and to the families that go on without them.
Fill the heart of every American
with pride in those who served,
and caring concern for their survivors.

 
May it be Your will
that every American be re-dedicated
to the task of building a nation
worthy of the sacrifices made by our honored dead.
And may it be Your will, also,
that all of us pursue a just peace throughout the world,
so that no more lives are lost in armed conflict
anywhere in Your creation.

by David Abernethy

David Abernethy practices law in the Philadelphia area and is a member of the Beth Am Israel community in Penn Valley, Pennsylvania.
And let us say Amen.

Memorial Day

Today, this Memorial day, we remember with awe and reverence those brave men and women who sacrificed their lives in the defense of our nation. All lives matter, but they were among our best and brightest.

 We honor their memories best by re-dedicating ourselves to the struggle to make our country live up to its values, a place for all of us and worthy of the fallen and those who returned home willing to make that sacrifice and forever changed by their extraordinary service.

 A blessed and happy Memorial Day to all.

Help the Veterans Now

The problems plaguing the VA are a national disgrace.  Our treatment of returning wounded veterans is nothing less than shameful.

 It is incumbent upon the President of the United States to implement a disaster response to alleviate the backlogs and treat our veterans in need immediately.  We are able to provide emergency aid to victims of natural disasters so must we be able to provide for our veterans. Mr. President, it is past time to make a public statement and direct bold swift action.

There is an urgent need to understand what happened and how the system designed to provide support for our wounded went so horribly off the rails.  So investigate and correct the system.  But the pressing need is to get help our vets who are struggling now.  This is not the efficient way to manage the problem, but there are lives at stake.  Investigating and managing the problem are secondary to the task of saving veteran’s lives.

This catastrophe is compounded both by the lies and the cover-ups, and also by the anguish and pain endured by our veterans.  Certainly the system is horribly broken and we must demand accountability on all levels that permits such corruption to exist.  Force resignations, fire others, prosecute criminal activity, conduct investigations and fix this horrible mess.  But first,  help those desperately in need.

 Right now we must focus on getting help to our vets.  Get caregivers into the field.  If our military with all of it’s extraordinary capabilities or our other disaster response groups such as FEMA cannot do it, then get the Red Cross or Doctors without Borders in to do the job we are unwilling to do.  This is a national disgrace and must be addressed now.