Local Memorial Day observance comes with strong warning – The Daily Progress

Holding an artificial red poppy, the flower associated with fallen U.S. service members since World War I, retired Marine Col. James OKelley said Americans must remember the nations fallen troops and learn from history.

The question is whether we will learn from the lessons of the past or will we repeat the same mistakes?

At a Memorial Day ceremony hosted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2044 at the Earlysville Post Office, OKelley spoke about the history of Memorial Day, the waning number of those who observe it and the poppy, an internationally recognized symbol used to commemorate fallen military personnel.

His speech Monday also included a commentary on contemporary politics, highlighting comparisons of the United States and the Roman Empire, particularly as they relate to social welfare, popular entertainment and foreign policy in the Middle East.

The story of the Roman Empire offers us instructive lessons that hopefully we read not as a blueprint, but as a warning, he said.

Invoking 18th-century historians Alexander Tytler and Edward Gibbon, OKelley suggested the country could be on a wayward path to degeneration.

Quoting Tytler, OKelley said a democracy is always temporary in nature, and that its demise will come when the public eventually supports loose fiscal policy that will be followed by a dictatorship.

I find myself asking the question, what has all this bloodshed accomplished? he said. Does the present generation even know or care about what we have done or what has been required to get us to this point in our history?

Have we veterans, who have borne and understand the cost for freedom and liberty, failed to pass on to our generations the important lessons of history, perspective, context and consequences? Are we allowing the ideologies that many of our fellow veterans died to protect us from destroy our freedoms and liberties?

We have a moral obligation to our fallen comrades of the last 242 years to not break faith with their great and ultimate sacrifices.

Following the ceremony, Douglas Caton, a retired Army officer who helped organize the annual Memorial Day observance, said OKelley gave a sobering speech.

Hes dead right. Weve become very apathetic and dependent, he said.

Caton said the country should focus on becoming great again, and that there has to be a commitment from the American citizenry to do that.

I dont think we have that now. I think everybody wants more welfare, more retirement, more health care and more everything ... we have to change that attitude. We have to be more selfless and committed to each other, Caton said.

OKelley also spoke about the Dogwood Vietnam Memorial in Charlottesville, noting the 28 names of fallen service members who are memorialized there. In recent years, OKelley and other veterans have been involved in an effort to learn more about troops from the area who died during the Vietnam War.

Mondays ceremony included remarks from VFW member Michael Reichard, who spoke about the history of the Pledge of Allegiance.

The ceremony also included a wreath laying, a three-rifle volley and music by the Second-Wind Band.

Michelle Bickley, a retired Air Force officer who completed tours in Afghanistan and Iraq during her 21-year career, said she appreciated hearing about the Vietnam veterans and tidbits of American history.

Its neat for all the veterans to get together and to remember the people that have sacrificed their lives to give us the freedom and liberty that we enjoy today, she said.

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Local Memorial Day observance comes with strong warning - The Daily Progress