Consti here in the Bunker barbeque pit getting ready to feed the troops this Memorial Day. Ribs, chicken, burgers, corn, “tader” salad, watermelon, and apple pie! The keg will be chilled, and cups-o-plenty to go around for all our uniformed! Unfortunately for many younger Americans the meaning of Memorial Day weekend (like the sham that is Cinco de Mayo) is lost in the drunken fueled BBQ parties and bikini’s at the beach. The TRUE meaning of the holiday is not taught in schools any more. Sure there is the lip service paid about “honoring our fallen” and that’s about it if you are lucky. From the founding of our nation to our current “overseas contingencies” our freedoms were bought and paid for in blood. Sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, etc. have made the ultimate sacrifice of their lives so that protestors enjoy the freedom to carry signs at the funerals of our fallen that read: “God hates America!” (Westboro Baptist Church I’m looking at you…)
(A personal thank you goes out to my riding brothers in the Patriot Guard Riders!)
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP6gneH1DRU&feature=related
In honor of the men, women, children, and families of our soldiers who served both past and present I would like to offer you a raised glass in toast on Memorial Day. Also a HUGE solid “I owe you!” and “thank you for your service to our country!”
Let’s start with a basic definition shall we?
Main Entry: 1me·mo·ri·al
Pronunciation: \mə-ˈmȯr-ē-əl\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin memorialis, from memoria memory
Date: 14th century
1: serving to preserve remembrance: commemorative
2: of or relating to memory
— me·mo·ri·al·ly \-ə-lē\ adverb
Now Memorial Day commemorates our fallen. So let’s take a look at some numbers so we can all remember.
(Ed note: Wikipedia has a large sampling of data I’m sure you can find others.)
| War | Total American Fatalities | US Population in First Year of War | % of population lost |
| American Revolutionary War | 22,674 | 2,500,000 | 0.9070% |
| War of 1812 | 11,700 | 8,000,000 | 0.1463% |
| Mexican-American War | 13,271 | 21,406,000 | 0.0620% |
| American Civil War (1860-1865) | 618,000 | 31,443,000 | 1.9655% |
| Spanish-American War | 5,385 | 72,129,000 | 0.0075% |
| Filipino Insurrection | 4,196 | 72,129,000 | 0.0058% |
| World War I (1917-1918) | 117,465 | 103,268,000 | 0.1137% |
| World War II (1941-1945) | 418,500 | 133,402,000 | 0.3137% |
| Korean War (1950-1953) | 36,516 | 151,325,000 | 0.0241% |
| Vietnam War | 58,159 | 179,323,000 | 0.0324% |
| Gulf War (1991) | 382 | 252,643,000 | 0.00016% |
| War on terror (2001 – present) | 5,490 | 294,043,000 | 0.002% |
Sobering data isn’t it? The civil war cost us almost 2% of the population. The revolutionary war almost cost a full percent of the population at the time. Since then the population has grown, but so has the human capacity to wage war on his fellow man. Since the founding of our nation that’s approximately 1,311,738 (just soldiers) fallen for our freedoms. We’ve lost as many in the War on Contingencies’… I mean terrorism that we did in the Spanish American war.
So when you are out protesting the wars or illegal immigration this weekend between BBQ’s and beer remember: 1,311,738 souls paid the price for your freedom to do so with their lives. The next time you tell a tea-party protesting granny she’s a terrorist remember: 1,311,738 of your fellow countrymen spilt their blood so you could do so. When you attend your next La Raza rally to call for the overthrow of the government remember: 1,311,738 plus lives paved your way. Gringo lives at that gilipollas! (Si no fuera por el sacrificio de sus vidas valientes que no tienen un borde de cruzar o un país mejor que el de México a donde ir.)
Being that I am a movie buff Memorial Day also brings some of my favorite films to cable. The bunker big screen is all set up for troops. Some like, The Guns of Navarone, The Dirty Dozen, Patton, or Where Eagles Dare, and Stalag 17. While others prefer M.A.S.H, Stripes, and perhaps some Black sheep squadron action. But the Xbox will probably get the most workouts. While the clip below is from the Movie Patton it’s not the original. In my opinion it’s better and should be shown between movies this weekend. Give it a peek and decide for yourself.
(Caution contains some language! NSFW! Monitor your kids.)
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyUX6wV1lBQ&feature=related
“Now Consti what does any of this flag waving have to do with politics, mid-terms, or the election?” Good question. You probably think I am going to bash Obama for not attending the wreath lying at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Not really. The picture I want to draw for you is how the politicians of our times have maligned the bravest among us.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfXLFYGwPiE
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXaoavV1d4s&feature=related
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTBQW-FYEKg
And that’s just a SMALL sample! Remember how the surge in Iraq wouldn’t work according to the Dems? Guess they were wrong on that one. What about Code Pink vandalizing and harassing the USMC? All the while the SEIU terrorizes families.
While the best and bravest among us go off to die for our freedoms at home they are treated as third class citizens frequently by cowardly politicians and mealy mouth policy. I guess this is all part of “the new normal” Obama talked about. I won’t even go into the despicable speech at West Point telling cadets off to war that “internationalism” is the solution to our problems. Or all the hate that our American Flag has received lately from the far left. So when politicians speak of the military and how they “support the troops” think long & hard whether or not you believe them.
So this weekend if you REALLY want to celebrate Memorial Day do something for our soldiers. If you spot one buy them a drink, dinner, hot dog, or even just walk up and shake their hand thanking them for their service to our country. Each soldier has to buy their own bullet proof vests at a cost of $1,000 each! Donate today.
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men that have died. Rather we should thank god that such men lived.” – General George S. Patton.
Semper Fidelis!
Consti.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
It is so sad that our freedom seems to have come with a blood-debt that must be paid periodically by the best and brightest among us. It is so amazing that those heroes are always out there, ready to step up and stand in the gap so the rest of us can continue on in this unprecedented bubble of liberty and have the choice to take it for granted or even curse and abuse it. We owe it to every one of those statistics you listed to do everything we can to preserve our eroding freedom, because if we don’t their sacrifice would have been for nothing.
.-= Elena´s last blog ..Blog buzz about Israel & Freedom Flotilla show-down =-.
Only the fool and the ungrateful enjoy today without a word of thanks and a moment of contemplation for the millions of men and women who have sacrificed life, limb and family in the service of us all.
“There is no greater love, than a man lay down his life for a friend”
-Jesus