Remember What Memorial Day Is About

I got an email from a friend this morning that reminded me what today was all about. I am copying some of it here. I don't know the copywrite laws on duplicating emails but I hope I'm not breaking them. When you are thinking about your appliance sales and barbecues today, please take a moment to reflect on why the word "Memorial" comes from the word "memory," and remember the brave men and women who gave their lives so that I could write this blog and you could read it.
Unfortunately, I can't seem to add pictures to this so if you want to see the cartoons, you'll have to go to http://auntyd.wordpress.com/2010/05/31/remember-what-memorial-day-is-about/ to see the complete blog, but below is the poem that was in the email. Even though a picture says 1000 words, I think this verse says it all.


It is
the VETERAN,
not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.

It is
the VETERAN,
not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.

It is
the VETERAN,
not the campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to assemble.

It is
the VETERAN,
not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is
the VETERAN,
not the politician,
Who has given us the right to vote.

It is
the VETERANwho salutes the flag,
and it is ALL VETERANS who we salute today.


Thank you, dear veterans, for giving your freedom so that so many of us could have ours.