I do not know how to express my memorial day feelings

I do not know how to express my memorial day feelings.

The brave people who gave the ultimate sacrifice for not just our country but the liberty for so many people of the world is the deepest expression of giving and love and trust I can imagine.

At the same time, as I get older, and learn more, I am weighed down by learning so much of war is waged for greed and evil intent. Even WW2 is not free from American profiteering and exploitation.

Absolutely the fallen should be revered.

But, if we truly cared about our fallen heroes should we not revolt against the evil ones that take advantage of our fears and push our most brave and innocent to the front lines?

Like an ancient polynesian volcano god, should we not sacrifice a few of these death cultists on this day and give it meaning?

Our leader and president just instructed us to have a Happy Memorial Day. What the fuck does that mean? What are the happy thoughts of our loved ones killed overseas to satisfy an evil, greedy asshole's lust?

What is Happy about Memorial Day? Yes, it should be a national holiday. But more importantly, it should be a referendum on war itself.

Not one of those fallen should have fallen without honorable cause.

I do not know how to make this actionable.

How can I have a Happy Memorial Day? WTF is happy about Memorial Day? When you drive past a national cemetary where is the joy?

Maybe we should not have armed Saddam Hussein, Noriega, or Osama Bin Laden. Or Ho Chi Min? Or perhaps we should not have fallen for Hearst's desires to sell more papers for the Spanish American war? Or perhaps we should not have supported despots like the Shaw or the current Saudi regime? Even WW2 is not without deep stains of profiteering and geopolitical gain.

What again am I to celebrate?

We should ask the dead.

Someone please make sense of Memorial Day, because I cannot.

Originally posted on Facebook on May 29, 2017.