On this Memorial Day

On this Memorial Day I'll remember friends and relatives as usual. I'll remember a true war hero, my Father as usual.

Bud Beasley, India, WWII

But this Memorial Day I'll also remember a country that is no more. A country that Bob Herbert describes as

...the country that was once the world's most brilliant beacon of freedom and justice.

We all know why it is no longer that "brilliant beacon" and you can head over to Bob's commentary if you need a refresher. That beacon has been extinguished over the last few years by a cabal of greedy, incompetent and soul less men who while talking about freedom really despise it.
This Memorial Day I will also remember the once proud United States military. It to has been largely destroyed by this administration. Paul Krugman goes into details this morning, but in short Rumsfeld and the Bush administration has created a situation where too few want to join and too few want to stay. I'll think about an administration that talks about remembering veterans while slashing their benefits to give tax cuts to the wealthy who never served.
I'll spend this Memorial Day angry because the ideals my brave father fought for have been cast to the wind by an administration that respects only wealth and power. This is the way civilizations democracies die.