LET US PAUSE TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO DIED FOR FREEDOM
DEAR ABBY: Memorial Day is not about war; it’s about people. It’s about those dedicated individuals — most of them young — who died serving their country and their fellow Americans as well as future generations. In other words, all of us.
We Americans are at our best when we come together bonded by a noble purpose. And that’s the reason for the National Moment of Remembrance on Memorial Day.
Abby, your patriotism and compassion have helped us in our effort to unite the more than 311 million Americans who live in this land of the free and home of the brave. Please remind your millions of readers to come together by pausing for a moment at 3 p.m. local time, wherever they are, to acknowledge the sacrifice of our fallen.
Unfortunately, too many of our citizens forget to remember. I am determined to find ways to help America continue to pay tribute to the nearly 2 million men and women who have died for us. Our freedoms should remind us of their sacrifice and our debt to them.
It is our duty to never forget them, to keep them in our hearts and in our actions. They were the best of the best — the pride of the USA. We owe them the commitment to reflect on what they did and to put remembrance into action. This means to give back to our country and to live honoring them every day, not just on Memorial Day.
Thank you for all you do to honor America’s heroes. — CARMELLA LASPADA, FOUNDER, NO GREATER LOVE
DEAR CARMELLA: You’re welcome. I hope readers will heed your request to offer a silent tribute this afternoon to the men and women who have given their lives in the service of this country. Considering the magnitude of their sacrifice, it’s the least we can do.
To all of my friends out there — please join me, as well as the iron workers, sheet metal workers, firefighters and painters unions and thousands of AFL-CIO members who have supported the Moment since its inception, in a moment of silence at 3 p.m. Today, as in the past, major league baseball games will stop, customers and staff will pause in more than 30,000 grocery stores throughout the country, and, of course, personnel serving in the military around the world will observe it, too. To learn what others are doing today, visit www.ngl.org.
May our fallen rest in peace; may our country once again live in peace as well.
I will definitely be joining in at 3!