Don’t watch any war movies on Memorial Day.

Saturday, May 27, 2000

Don’t watch any war movies on Memorial Day.

Don’t watch television’s "Guts and Glory" marathons of films.

Go to a parade and watch real veterans.

Visit a cemetery and stop by the graves with flags and wreaths and read the names aloud.

Talk to a relative, neighbor or friend who served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Listen to their stories.

More than one million men and women have lost their lives fighting for freedom in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Think about that. One million lives. Farm boys and urban teen-agers, too. Soldiers of every color, but all American.

The wars, police actions or whatever they call placing men and women in harm’s way, may not have always been popular.

Conflict never is.

Every body bag filled with a soldier, every casket carried to its final resting place, every American flag folded and presented to a wife, mother or other relative is a moment in time no one wants to relive.

But, the job of the soldier is necessary, must happen and will always be.

Some people have a hard time deciding what to do on Memorial Day weekend, but there should be no indecision.

Have fun. There’s nothing wrong with that.

But start the day at a parade, where your hometown veterans will carry the flag.

Visit just one cemetery and greet the flags waving with a salute of your own.

Meet a veteran, any veteran at all, and say "Thank you."

Whisper a silent prayer that no one forgets the sacrifices made.