This week we, as a nation, observed Memorial Day. We traveled to the burial sites of our departed loved ones and placed flowers on their graves and spent a bit of time in remembrance of them. Or maybe we took advantage of the big “Memorial Day Sale,” or celebrated by having family bar-b-que. That is what Memorial Day has become. It has become anything except what it was established for. It was meant to be a day to honor our deceased veterans. And it should still be a day to honor them, not just “decorate a grave day.”

Our local VFW does a fantastic program honoring our fallen veterans, unfortunately they do it on Veteran’s Day which happens to be the day set aside to honor those veterans still alive. The VFW didn’t even bother to lower their Post’s flag to half-staff. They weren’t alone in failing to lower the nation’s flag to half-staff here in our community. The following list those who either didn’t care or were ignorant of the fact that the flag is flown at half-staff to show respect for and honor those brave souls who defended our nation:

El Dorado springs City Hall, City Park, City Golf Course, City Utilities Building, Witt Printing, Barrington, KAMO, CCMH, American Legion, US Post Office, Cedar County Library, The Senior Center, Simmons Bank, Dairi Concepts, Methodist Church, Rest Haven and to top the list, the El Dorado Springs City Cemetery.

There are still a few in our community who respect and honor our flag and our veterans, they are Community Springs, McDonalds, our City Police station and the First Baptist Church. My thanks to those who chose to honor the meaning of Memorial Day.

Leslie Ray

SFC, Ret.

El Dorado Springs

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