Apparently honoring the dead isn't an "essential function."
None of the usual solemnities are scheduled, nominally because of the State of Emergency (which has been extended into a fourth month) regards them as inherently dangerous. Standing in the open air of the cemetery carries too much risk of infection.
It's far safer to buy a lottery ticket in a liquor store.
Such is our world.
As is customary, each year I dedicate this post to a friend who died too soon, Capt. Sean Grimes. He was engaged to be married, and by now he might be watching his kids graduate high school.
I remain convinced that striking militarily against both Afghanistan and Iraq after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks was both justified and worthwhile, but had I known it would be managed with such strategic ineptitude, I would have opposed both.
This is a bipartisan condemnation, because neither the Bush administration nor the Obama one had any plan other than managing an eternal conflict. The lives of our troops were just the cost of doing business. It's clear that the Democrats used the peace movement as a convenient club, because they're otherwise fine with Wars of Choice (see also, Libya, Syria, etc.).
Our leaders are fine about these losses because they don't know people like Sean. He doesn't exist in their world, at least not that they know of. Maybe if they went to his civilian medical practice in later years they'd note in passing an honorable discharge on the office wall, but maybe not.
But we remember him, and all others who - like him - have made the supreme sacrifice for their nation.
Rest in Peace.
Comments