SMALL TOWN PARADES

Over the years, I have come to realize how enjoyable small town parades are. In some instances, the best!

Two small town parades stand out in my mind. One is the Fourth of July parade in Chatham on Cape Code. I not only enjoyed the parade, I had an overwhelming sense of patriotic pride as I watched it. The other is Key West’s Christmas Parade. You have not seen a Christmas parade till you have seen Key West’s. It is miles long. Children everywhere.

I have never seen Key West’s Veteran’s Day Parade. Hopefully this afternoon at 4 I will.

Veteran’s Day. A special day set aside to honor those who sacrificed for our country. Actually, sacrificed for you and me. I never served. I was part of the Korean War generation. The war ended my senior year in high school and I went to college instead of into the Army. By the time Vietnam was in full swing, I was a practicing attorney with a wife and four children.

Some things bother me about our soldiers and veterans. Permit me to share a few with you.

Our government talks a good game, but plays a poor one. The number of veterans with disability claims not being paid attention to is enormous. About half a million. Money is the problem. The House of Representatives should be ashamed to have forgotten these warriors of yesterday. House members talk a good game about supporting the military. In reality, they fail.

I worry that we now have a professional army. Such makes a military take over of the government easier. Anything is possible today.

Contractor soldiers. Our shadow army. Private mercenaries in the pay of the United States. Wrong that we use them. It is the military complex having become stronger. The controls over them are significantly less than over the real military. They answer not to government. Rather to the corporations for whom they work.

Finally, we cannot fight everyone’s battles. In the last decade, we have had boots on the ground in too many countries. Many of these involvements were none of our business. We paid not only with money, but also the lives of our young men and women.

Consistent with the previous thought, we cannot bring democracy to other nations. They are and will be what they want to be. Our system of government is not for everyone. True democracy is leaving people alone to decide for themselves what type of government they wish.

I spent six hours yesterday finishing this week’s KONK Life column. Doolittle’s Raid. I wrote it for two reasons. First, it is Veteran’s Day time. The second is that most people under 50 probably do not know what Doolittle’s Raid was. It concerns me that many are unaware of their history. I learned of Lexington and Concord, the steam engine, and whatever else, in grammar school. Are students similarly taught today? What is taught concerning World War II?

Dinner last night with Lisa and the family. Always a joy!

I am a lucky man. Lunch 2 out of 3 days with the grandkids. I am babysitting today.

Enjoy your holiday!

2 comments on “SMALL TOWN PARADES

  1. “Consistent with the previous thought, we cannot bring democracy to other nations. They are and will be what they want to be. Our system of government is not for everyone. True democracy is leaving people alone to decide for themselves what type of government they wish.”

    I believe Lou is on the way to becoming a Libertarian? At least in some aspects of life.

  2. There was a time when the VA was denying every claim.
    There are/were schools that never mentioned Vietnam and taught/teach we should apologize to Japan for WW2.
    I also agree we should not be the worlds police force and we should not be subsidizing these countries. We really could pave our streets with gold if we stopped.

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