Time to Change Horror Parades

[A new series on change. To quote Ephesus (402 AD) "Everything changes and nothing remains still." In the modern age I've heard, "Change is the only constant."]

I love parades. For 20 years I championed our Baha'i community participation in Hamilton Twp's Annual Memorial Day parade. These parades honor those, dead and alive, men and women who have sacrificed too much to save us, to defend, us to defend ours, and the world's freedoms. I salute you and offer prayers.

Our Baha'i community built floats, carried big banners, children or a 10 foot earthly globe. Our signs proclaimed 'The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens.' (Baha'u'llah), or black with huge white letters, 'One Planet . . . One People . . . Please.' I've written about my joys marching with friends, with my son Jesse rollerblading next to us and shouting "Happy Memorial Day!'  A day for remembering sacrifice . . . and American deaths. 

I suppose every people or country that's been in terrible unrest or wars, and have survived or won, hold annual parades in remembrance. Remembering the bravehearts who gave their lives so that freedom might triumph.Our thanks and gratitude comes straight from our hearts, because our heads, quite frankly, don't know or can remember the details of so long ago. Generations ago. That's why we appreciate V.F.W. Posts, who are struggling to remain open and need our help. 

But I feel its time to stop honoring death and dying, with, or without purpose, depending on your view. I would rather spend my time motivating the living, now, in 2013. Not from June 6, 1944 - 69 years ago, or VE Day, May 8, 1945, or V-J (or V-P) Day, or the Gulf war in '91, and so on. Millions of dead soldiers, nurses, staffs, and civilian men, women and children. Millions of years ago. Newer generations don't seem to care or know, unless their own National Reservist parent, relative or sibling has been killed in Afghanistan or elsewhere. I'm advocating Peace parades, those that honor peace, freedom and prosperity.

We seem not to remember the innocents in these horror parades. 
No one flies a banner for their remembrance. "Collateral damage." We are hardly ever ginen their poor numbers. Getting them from Iraq or Afghanistan is nearly impossible.

Do we keep celebrating OUR victory over the evil Japanese and German Nazi's? By having these parades aren't we forever rubbing those past misguided souls, men women and children, soldiers, airman, naval commanders; in the muds of hell?  Haven't we forgiven yet?  For their sins (and ours - Hiroshima and Nagasaki); or not, innocent townsfolk and children? It's 2013 for God's sake.

Look, we can't forget these bloody, decimating, crippling wars. If and when we do - some (usually men), seem quick to start another one - whether provoked or unilaterally. It's been said the day will come when mothers will refuse to let their sons and daughters (now), be dragged off to war. Halleluiah!

I was lucky, called a coward by some, because my body was designated IV-F by the Army in 1968. And so "physically" missing the so-called Vietnam "War." Aren't these wars over? Isn't nation-building ended? Shouldn't dictators and aggressors be put down mercilessly by Peacekeepers from all civilized countries?

Let's rather remember the rebuilding of Europe and Japan. How they've changed for the good, productive and honorable, their quality products sought by American consumers and businesses. How, indeed, we helped them. How indeed American businesses served them, with trucks, planes, roads, buildings, everything. And still do. And their strong employees at risk every day.

Yes, that's what I'd like to commemorate. The ultimate successes, the results of all that misery, maiming and bloodshed. And expand that largesse to fix our country's leaking water pipes, wasting 1 trillion gallons a year, or crumbling roads and highways, or re-purpose, renovate or build from scratch our cities' deserted and abandoned properties. To train the uneducated to hold jobs. To name a few needs.

Help me in fixing those things. You, Government, go ahead and take a few more dollars of my earned and unearned income. Let's make it happen like the German and Japanese citizens did. Let's crack our dirty little 2% ceiling of annual GDP.

We can do better! We're more than capable! And I wish to help.

by Rodney Richards copyright 2013
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