SgtPendleton says:

May 21st, 2009 at 3:23 pm

Is this supposed to make up for the other non-stories about Democrats? Are no Democrats being represented at the ceremony?

Come on Kev, little bit o’ effort would go a long, long way.

adlib says:

May 21st, 2009 at 6:01 pm

Maybe Kline has enough Veteran credibility to share a little with Saxby Chambliss, 4-F during the Vietnam War but fully recovered enough to be all round GOP athlete in later years at the Capitol

parthian says:

May 22nd, 2009 at 6:43 am

Well, let’s see. We need pious militarist members of Congress to show up in Normandy to “lead” the annual “official Memorial Day Ceremonies at the Normandy American Cemetary” on May 25th. And apparently only TeaM GOoP applied for the junket….er, job? That, I doubt.

I’m sure this is a pretty crucial, valuable junket and a great use of scarce resources during the Great Recession. But nothing trumps our militarism, of course. And annual honoring of the dead of one of our Good Wars is an essential component of burnishing the image of our current imperial operations and military.

Then, 10 days later, we’ve got the prez and another gaggle showing up for the “official” DDay 65th anniversary celebrations on June 6th, so yet more observations of our past military exertions. Oh well, Dem presidents should get to bask in the glory as much as Repubs, I guess. Did St Reagan start this pilgrimage with the 40th, or was it done before him?

What’s the termination point for annual observances of military heroism? We gave up on the Civil War long ago. Does Team GOoP send delegations to American WWI military cemetaries in France for Memorial Day, too? No prez ever travelled to Vietnam and its battlefields, nor will one ever travel to glorious Iraq.

So how long does our prez show up in Normandy? Another 20 years? Longer? And who decides to “end” the Normandy show?

parthian says:

May 22nd, 2009 at 8:14 am

yes, it is too bad that kids don’t learn history or seem to want to. And that schools have basically jettisoned it, although teachers claim it’s because of the new math and reading skills “testing” regime.

Assuming you’re not being sarcastic, the history angle is the best reason that exists for the every 5 year Normandy show. But nothing is remembered forever, no matter how heroic.

adlib says:

May 22nd, 2009 at 3:25 pm

“Yes,it is too bad that kids don’t learn history or seem to want to.”

Same goes for civics Classes. TP reasoned there’s no evidence MV registrants want or need the Motor Voter automatic registration, so that’s another initiative he’ll veto even though it would save local governments some scarce funds.

Dearth wouldn’t want to create any excess demand for user manuals explaining what the voting franchise is all about, although a poll tax is maybe one levy he’d approve if the Legislature passed it.

parthian says:

May 26th, 2009 at 7:02 am

Oh, John, YOU remember the Revolutionary War and the Civil War, but you are a highly educated older American, not an ordinary schmoe.

I’d be stunned if 1 American in 20 could give even a marginally coherent account of the Revolutionary War OR the Civil War. Only that tiny, tiny band of military history buffs could give an account of both.

As for WWII, I think I saw some accounts recently that most people can’t identify even our enemies in WWII, let alone our allies.

There are some minor passing references to the Revolutionary War and Civil War in our current politics, but these are mere slogans—they are long dead subjects to the overwhelming mass of citizens. When Obama referenced crossing the Delaware recently, I wondered who in hell he thought would catch that fleeting reference.

Normandy (and hence WWII) is the last remaining battlefield that occupies our politics with any regularity, and I don’t think these presidential DDay visits are going to much outlast the (ever dwindling) remaining WWII boys. So enjoy ‘em while they last!

I am one of that (small) number of Americans who (sometimes) show up at a Memorial Day ceremony. Again, the vast majority of Americans wouldn’t dream of doing such a thing, nor do I blame them. If they did show up, they would likely agree wholeheartedly with the “honor the heroic vets” theme that is uniformly presented (pun intended).

Most would also wholeheartedly agree with the implicit unquestioning militarism that those attending exude (“Freedom isn’t Free!” “All Gave Some, Some Gave All!”, etc, etc.) This militarism shamelessly exploits the deeds of the heroic past to shore up the image of the imperial present, shielding its massive costs in terms of blood, treasure, opportunities forgone, and liberty lost (with our national security state), not protected.

Another thing conveniently “forgotten” by us is the staunchly anti-militarist views of the Founding Fathers, which held sway in this country right up to the Korean War, at which time we began our woeful experiment with permanent, standing militarism and the national security state, which was quick to co-opt and capture the noble ideas of remembrance that motivated Memorial Day.

Now the specter of permanent militarism haunts the memorial ceremonies, unseen by virtually all, as it mans its 600+ bases around the world and assures us that our two ongoing quagmires in Asia are absolutely necessary to our survival, just like WWII. It’s exactly what the attendees want to hear…..

John E Iacono says:

May 26th, 2009 at 2:39 pm

Dear Parthian,

When my wife and I went to the cemetery yesterday, it seemed to me that the literally thousands of flowers, little windmills, crosses, and flags suggested that quite a few more of us remember on Memorial Day. As for the ceremonies, at least a thousand chairs were pretty much filled.

And from the hundreds of flags we noted on homes going there (mostly occumpied by younger folks, I suspect from the neighborhoods), it seems more than a few younger ones have in mind the meaning of the day.

And although I can’t speak for all kids, I can uncategorically state that those who study under my social studies-American History teacher daughter know a lot about the Revolutionary, the Mexican, the Civil, the Spanish American wars, and both WWI and WW II, as well as — believe it or not — the War of 1812 and its consequences. I was impress with the curriculum she developed for grades 9, 10, and ll — far more than you or I learned in high school. It’s a college prep charter school, though, so I’m not sure about other public schools: I can’t account for those idiots we like to laugh at who give dumb answers on TV. But if you count me as “highly educated” it seems to me there are lots more of me coming up.

As far as references to these events are concerned, I would agree that the mass media is as ignorant as it usually is. But a glance at the American History section at Barnes & Noble online will suggest that there is even as late as last year a considerable interest in American History abroad in the land, with new titles all the time. (Maybe not for the top ten list, though: they seem to hit the bargain books list with some regularity as well.) Still, there must be enough readers to warrant publishing.

About naming our enemies in WW II: I know the big three enemies (Germany, Italy, and Japan) but there might have been more. But that does not mean I have no idea what the war was about (both REALLY and what the government and the movies said); what sacrifices it demanded from all of us at the time; how many young men and boys faced withering gunfire, mortars, and shells with fear but without flinching; and what real benefits it brought to us and to the whole world.

Those of us exposed to the daily lists of the dead of recent years (so few compared to wars past) have daily reason to reflect on the costs of war, and to wish those who wish us harm would just go away. But those who know history know that is not a likely scenario, any more than the bullies at school went away.

Anti-militarist views of the founders did not keep them from waging bitter and lengthy wars when the interests of our notions of freedom, our people, and our nation were at stake. They would be shocked at the suggestion they were pacifists. I suggest that Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and even Reagan were more in the spirit of the founders than some others since WW II. The founders were opposed to a military establishment — yes, but that’s another matter.

If the suggestion that “permanent militarism” has co-opted the spirit of Memorial Day is correct, I find that sad — and without sufficient evidence from what I observe.