The Memorial Day observance ceremonies this past weekend really give one pause to reflect where we are as a nation. Spending time with these veterans and listening to their concerns about politics, veterans issues, or just fishing opens a discussion about what they fought for and what we’re doing to uphold and preserve their efforts to preserve our liberties.
It is really moving to watch during a ceremony, these WWII veterans especially, some that could barely walk or stand, snap to attention and give a tight salute to the color guard, salute the pledge to the flag or to the playing of taps. I could see one of the WWII vets getting tight in the throat and eyes tearing up at the singing of the national anthem. I know he wasn’t the only one. The reverance and affection for our nation and our flag and those that have fallen defending it, by these veterans, is remarkable to behold as is the beauty of the surroundings at any of the ceremonies where there is an ‘avenue of flags’ displayed. Usually, they are the special extra long ‘casket’ flags that have been loaned or donated by a family of a loved one lost in battle. It seems the colors on these very high quality flags are even more vibrant, especially when there are dozens displayed avenue-style.
Amidst these remembrances are the thoughts of why are we remembering and what cause is so important that we have these lives that were lost to mourn. We know it’s the soldier that has guaranteed our rights to speak, to assemble, to worship, to own land, to keep what we earn. You may hear some say if it wasn’t for the soldier you may, in North America, be speaking, instead of English…German, Japanese, Russian, or even Chinese as our official occupied language.
Thankfully, we in California have a constitutional provision that English is the official language of our state. A very necessary provision that allows us to be competitive nationwide and worldwide in the business world, where the common language is English, which points out why being fluent in our official language is essential to being successful in our society of America. It’s importance was underscored by the recent US Senate vote to make English our ‘National Language.’
I received an e-mail this morning that depicts an American flag waving with the words emblazoned "Why the hell should I have to ‘press 1’ for English?" Good question. Every legislator should have to look one of those Pearl Harbor survivors in the eye and give them a real answer to that question.