Memorial Day Observances: Why We Should

If you don’t go to a Memorial Day Parade in your town to observe this Memorial Day you really should go out to a Veterans Cemetery or check out Fleet Week in New York City.

I have had conversations with Americans who are absolutely oblivious to the fact that freedom isn’t free, that someone in the last month died defending this country, died obeying the lawful order of their superiors, died affecting the lawful order of the President of the United States.

My relentless personal grief over the loss of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and particularly Marines that I knew is something that I live with as do others who have had close personal losses. My bottled up anger when I hear people say the stupidest, craziest, insensitive bullshit justifying their ignorance, intransigence and foolish perceptions sometimes slips to the surface and causes me to walk away in rage.

Then I remember that a Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine died for their right to freely spew the senseless crap that comes out of their stinking mouths. Then I am humbled. I go to the Veterans graveyards here on Long Island around Memorial day and consider the price paid by some who gave the last full measure of their mortal existence so that we as a country can grow and prosper despite those who are too ignorant or ungrateful to appreciate the fact they are blessed to be Americans living in America.

I constantly think of the ongoing price paid by a family of a fallen service member. The family gets a letter from the President, Generals, and others telling of how wonderful their son or daughter was in battle or service. The family endures the empty chair at the dinner table, remember the birthday, or just see the reminders of their son or daughter and live with the depressing emptiness of a loss that may have made the difference in the life or death of a local national in another country or a fellow service member.

The tri-folded flag is all that is left and the words of an officer or NCO thanking their family in the name of the United States with the words“on behalf of a grateful nation…” Up until the beginning of this month I didn’t think those words meant much to anyone. I continually see criminal Congressmen, sinister Senators, and assorted crooked Christian kiss asses preach about cutting Veterans benefits and work diligently to delay and deny living veterans the benefits they have earned.

All the networks, especially cable, have all picked a corner to put up the propaganda banners that these assorted media moguls and their minions fly in the face of reason and belittle everyone that will not believe their rabid rhetoric, labeling those thinking persons as “un-American” or even worse “a liberal”.

There are some things that people should know about Memorial Day besides the endless rows of white headstones all covered and aligned or the worn faces of the Veterans marching in Parades to remember the fallen.

The things to be remembered include but are not limited to the following: 1) Memorial day was first celebrated on May 30, 1868. It was observed by placing flowers on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers during the first national celebration. Gen. James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, after which around 5,000 participants helped to decorate the graves of the more than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers who were buried there.

2) Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared that Decoration Day should be observed on May 30. This date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country.

3) In 1915, inspired by the poem “In Flanders Fields,” Moina Michael replied with her own poem.

We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.

She then came up with an idea of wearing red poppies on Memorial day in honor of those who died serving the nation during war. She was the first to wear one, and sold poppies to her friends and co-workers with the money going to benefit servicemen in need.

4) Since the late 1950′s on the Thursday just before the Memorial day, around 1200 soldiers of the 3d U.S. Infantry place small American flags at each of the more than 260,000 gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery. They then patrol 24 hours a day during the weekend to ensure that each flag remains standing. In 1951, the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of St. Louis began placing flags on the 150,000 graves at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery as an annual Good Turn, a practice that continues to this day.

More recently, beginning in 1998, on the Saturday before the observed day for Memorial Day, the Boys Scouts and Girl Scouts place a candle at each of approximately 15,300 grave sites of soldiers buried at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park on Marye’s Heights (the Luminaria Program).

5) In the year 2000 the National Moment of Remembrance Resolution passed. At 3pm on Memorial Day all Americans are asked to voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a moment of remembrance & respect by pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to Taps.

And behind Taps is this history: The true story is that in July 1862, after the Seven Days battles at Harrison's Landing (near Richmond), Virginia, the wounded Commander of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, V Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, General Daniel Butterfield reworked, with his bugler Oliver Wilcox Norton, another bugle call, "Scott Tattoo," to create Taps.

He thought that the regular call for Lights Out was too formal. Taps was adopted throughout the Army of the Potomac and finally confirmed by orders. Soon other Union units began using Taps, and even a few Confederate units began using it as well. After the war, Taps became an official bugle call. Col. James A. Moss, in his Officer's Manual first published in 1911, gives an account of the initial use of Taps at a military funeral:

"During the Peninsular Campaign in 1862, a soldier of Tidball's Battery A of the 2nd Artillery was buried at a time when the battery occupied an advanced position concealed in the woods. It was unsafe to fire the customary three volleys over the grave, on account of the proximity of the enemy, and it occurred to Capt. Tidball that the sounding of Taps would be the most appropriate ceremony that could be substituted."

Understand the meaning of the Gold Star Service Flag. If you see it hanging in someones window or displayed in someones house, it means they lost a family member in service to the United States. If you see this knock on their door or leave a card in the mailbox thanking them for their sacrifice as a family and for the sacrifice of their loved one.

I heard a fool recently say that “anyone in uniform for this country deserves what he or she gets because that’s what they signed up for.” I corrected the fool. No one signs up to die, they sign up to serve! The souls that sign up to become Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine do so to take their place in the ranks to defend this country in time of peril. This calling to serve takes a faith based love rooted deep in the soul. The Apostle Paul called it ‘agape’, the Marine calls it ‘duty’.

Americans are extremely ignorant of our own history, military, religious, social or economic. But on the night of May 1^st, I did understand that even though ignorant, even the fool understood what happens when the President calls on good men to do what our enemies would call ‘bad things’. When I saw people singing in the streets upon the death of the self anointed prince of terror, affected by an elite crew of the United States Navy, the fog of my cynicism lifted. I felt good. Americans do appreciate their finest Sons and Daughters.

An informal observation of Memorial Day is a barbeque or putting the flag out. But I ask of us all to observe The National Moment of Remembrance at 3:00 PM on Memorial Day.

If you know of any family that has lost a son or daughter, brother or sister, mother or father in service to this country, please do something nice for them, a simple greeting thanking them for their sacrifice or to give a simple single poppy would probably make them feel good.

God Bless You All

And God Forever Bless The United States Of America.

RJ

Memorial Day Weekend Bar & Restaurant Spots

Alright, since I don’t get a lot of input from known sources I will deal with unknown sources that I’ve had to rely on for credible information. I’m going to list some events at a few Long Island establishments that actually have something going on. Let me know how it goes since those of you attuned to this frequency travel only to the store, work and home. But for those of you who take a chance once in a while, well…here goes:

KODIAK’S RESTAURANT & BAR in Farmingdale at 1815 Broadhollow Rd., is between Picone and Sherman on the west side of Broadhollow Rd. (You go under the Railroad tracks if your coming from the south). This Friday the 27^th, “The Liverpool Shuffle” a Beatles tribute band will be playing there.

The Liverpool Shuffle is Joe Refano, Mike Green, Mike Ponella and Pete Bross ... talented, versatile and experienced musicians. Over the years members of the band have performed with Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone; The Capris; The Original Broadway cast of BEATLEMANIA; Gary US Bonds; Micky Dolenz of the Monkees and various Beatle Tribute Bands among others. They take the passion they feel for BEATLE music and translate it into a really strong and entertaining LIVE performance. That's what The Liverpool Shuffle is all about.

There is a $10 cover charge on Friday and Saturday Nights because they have entertainment. UFC will be there on Saturday Night.

If your not looking for entertainment but a place to take a date for quality dining in a good atmosphere try VITTORIOS in Amityville on 184 Broadway. If your coming from Sunrise Highway its on your left after you pass Union Avenue. Good menu. For reservations call (631) 264-3333.

Closer to home try MURPH'S if your only looking for food and drink at a decent price. This is a neighborhood bar with decent food. (Been there awhile back). Murph’s is located at 935 Hempstead Tpk., in Franklin Square. There is a parking lot behind the restaurant on Sobo Avenue between Franklin Avenue and James Street, park there.

If you really want to go somewhere this Memorial Day weekend and stay close I suggest any of the establishments on the Woodcleft Avenue canal in Freeport. Most of those establishments are owned by or affiliated with Veterans organizations and its always a good time in most of the establishments. But I will name a few that I have had a great time at:

Rachel's Waterside Grill

281 Woodcleft Ave, Freeport, NY 11520 (516) 546-0050. Food is decent, service is great. Try to get seated with a view of the Canal. Lots of views featuring boats, babes and booze.

Bonito Hibachi

301 Woodcleft Ave, Freeport, NY 11520 (516) 223-0188. If you really like world rhythms and a really relaxing eating and entertainment mix you must go here. As far as food and drink prices, not bad considering its in Freeport on the water. It’s a Japanese restaurant with world themes happening on their party deck. If you have a date get a booth (enclosed and semi-private –great views). Worth the money.

E B Elliot's Restaurant

23 Woodcleft Ave, Freeport, NY 11520 (516) 378-8776. Decent place, good atmosphere, good food and the service is OK. I’ve been to this place a few times and sometimes it’s been really great and other times not so great. The food has always been the best part of any visit here.

That’s my review. As far as local events and barbeque’s I have no information as of yet. If I get it you’ll get it.

RJ

The End Of Time

I went to a small bar in Tarrytown after again visiting Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. I was angry about life in general and wanted to get away.

There is a park or two in the area, really nice State Parks that you can just relax and take in the river.

Kingsland Point County Park is beautiful and a short ride from the Cemetery at Sleepy Hollow.

The view had me in a totally reflective mood. I thought about my existence, my demise and the quality of life for the generations coming next. Then I went to the bar.

Bridge View Tavern is a really nice quaint bar with nice late 19^th century woodwork and a comfortable neighborhood atmosphere. Nice people, decent service and a good place to have a burger and a beer. As I sat there the Saturday Afternoon crowd was mostly age 50 and up.

Apparently there had been some kind of local event and a good mix of locals and visitors were in the house. My spirits, still down did not escape the notice of an old man in an old suit, straight out of the 1920’s who took notice.

“Why so down kiddo”, the old timer chimed. I said “Just shaking off some bad news sir, I’m OK though, thanks for asking.” Two clergymen and a young street preacher who was handing out flyers were now at the bar and the young preacher piped up trying to pick up a conversation where one had already finished.

“All too soon Christ comes, the end of the world is at hand…too late to worry, prepare to meet your maker. Jesus will be here before the end of this month and all will come to an end.”

One clergyman in a black suit and a red clergy shirt with the white collar looked at the young preacher and said “If that’s so, then what message should we be giving to this good man? How do we tell him to stop worrying when the end is so near, what about this man’s family, what about his friends, what about his kids if he has any. Much too little time to prepare for so much pain, isn’t it?" “Don’t you believe that Jesus will come again Bishop?” The young preacher was then asked by the lady bartender to preach outside.

The other preacher in all black, a black man, a Methodist from an old church in Westchester said, “Bartender you are so right, no religion, no preaching…lets talk about relationships” he looked at me and asked “Sir are you married.” “Call me RJ, and Reverend I’m not married, my wife died over 10 years ago.” “Is that why you were at the Cemetery today…I ask because while officiating the interment by the river I saw you standing in front of a monument for a long while.”

“No, just checking out the artwork and appreciating the beauty of the place” I said as I took a swallow of beer. The Street Preacher said “It’s all for nothing, we will all be like those in the cemetery if the birds and the beasts don’t eat our rotting bodies first.”

The old timer laughed hysterically as the Reverend and the Bishop looked incredulously upon the poorly taught young preacher. “I remember when Judge Rutherford and C.T. Russell told the Millennial Dawn Society the end of the world was coming, those crooked unchristian criminals ripped off thousands” said the Old Timer.

I said “Millennial Dawn Society, tell me Sir, aren’t they called ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses now?” “You know your history kiddo. The world has been ending for the last thousand years and it will still be ending in the next thousand years.

Best we can all do is be as good as or better than the people who lived before us so we have something to leave more than a tombstone and have new living souls to remember us to the future that is surely coming” the old timer then hoisted his beer and gave me a wink.

The Reverend and the Bishop applauded and bought a round for the bar. Thoroughly embarrassed, the Street Preacher hit the street. The Old Timer, “Tom” said he was a writer and loved the area. I finished up my burger and shook hands with everyone I met before l left. I walked off the buzz before I started back to my car.

I saw the Old Timer crossing the Street and waved at him, I walked over to him and asked him if he needed a ride. Old Timer said, “Kid, I’ve been walking these streets for several decades, thanks for the offer, I’ll keep walking.”

I said, “it’s not a problem sir, where you going?” “To Sleepy Hollow…me and my friends enjoy the spring nights, take care kid.” I said , “I won’t forget you sir.” The old man in the old suit tipped his old worn hat and said, “Thomas Beer won’t forget you RJ” and walked toward North Broadway as the fog rolled in. I thought about what the man had said. I then got in my car and went home.

Recently, the news, theologians and others have been all squawking about the end of time. I don’t know when the day, date, hour, or year will come when Jesus gets back to hold court on humankind, keeping the believers and making unbelievers pay.

Jesus doesn’t even know when he’s coming back.

Some of you reading may ask, ‘how can you say that’? I didn’t, Jesus did (read Matt. 24^th chapter). I don’t know about you but I really don’t care when Jesus gets back, for those who are mortal when it happens, be ready when Jesus gets here.

When I went through my brochure from Sleepy Hollow of famous people I saw a familiar name. I thought about what Tom said, “Best we can all do is be as good as or better than the people who lived before us…”

It’s a long walk to Sleepy Hollow from Tarrytown, but apparently a much shorter walk out of time into eternity. Ancient texts all say the mortal must put on immortality. Thomas Beer has forever to get back to a place he already is.

RJ

Catching Up

Catching Up!

Winters big digouts (especially the blizzard after Christmas) were eventful in that you find out how many people will come out in treacherous weather just to get away from the evident reality that will be upon them the next day.

I got caught in the mess. Thankfully I’m not as aloof as I act and keep a snow shovel and blankets in my car (ask Yaega Lee). As I spent the night at the Game on December 26^th I thought about the following year.

What would 2011 bring? Was I surprised.

In January I was reminded how awful and dangerous the world is when people get so angry at their circumstance that they act out on rebellious and treacherous fantasies. When Congresswoman Giffords was shot I was appalled that no one spotted the warning signs of a psycho nut case in their midst. But it also goes to the influence of community and connections.

I was also reminded that a President of the United States when under divine influence can unify and assuage the pain of tragedy and conflict. Politics aside, it’s a wonderful thing to live in a democracy. I have travelled the world, especially the orient and see how people live. I have seen their response to the governments of their respective countries. Fear, rebellion, suspicion, murder, treachery…but here in the USA we don’t have it as bad. Don’t believe me….find out for yourself!

February was cold bitter and nasty. In politics, the President was portrayed in a Tea Party e-mail as a witch doctor with a bone through his nose holding an ax. I wonder what would happen if President Bush was portrayed in a grand dragons robe standing with the KKK? Propaganda works well on the ignorant, the desperate, the hateful, and the bigoted ( about 60% of the population). I was even more disappointed when the Steelers lost to Green Bay in the SuperBowl.

March brought in the Vernal Equinox and the beauty of the night sky and significant astrological events that will in some way effect the planet and inevitably all mankind. It also brought in rumors of a neighborhood watering hole, now run into the ground, up for sale. I knew it would be that way when all the bartenders ran out the door to work for Mr. Jimmy (Poppy J) at Game On or Whiskey Business (Now the Corner Tavern).

Poppy’s hot new bartender ChaCha (yes, a pseudonym) became popular and famous for what she wears on duty serving drinks and beer (well I should say for what she doesn’t wear attempting to serve drinks and beer).

As oil drilling resumed in the Gulf and the NFL went into lockdown, locking out players over contract negotiations in the next season (multi-millionaires fighting over how to divide up 6 Billion dollars in new revenue, greed is master) Game On’s Pool Team continues the tradition of being a drinking team that sometimes shoots pool.

As the natural and manmade disasters of March took place (Japanese earthquake, Tsunami, floods, Nuclear disaster, Hawaiian Volcano Eruption and Myanmar Earthquake) an economic disaster came to its fruition at 1762 Broadway.

But the end did not come right away…meanwhile on the other side of the world a visitor from California would look at business opportunities in Long Island. I wonder where?

As late March went into early April, many birthdays were celebrated. Myself, N.F. Pluto, Miss A (former bartender for Mr. E.) and the Met Fan who long ago transferred his patronage to Game On, celebrated birthdays.

While the Japanese Nuclear Reactors slowly melt down and cause damage unreal to the Pacific Ocean and the China Sea, Game On would host parties and keep the drinks flowing. Poppy J’s hot wings served mostly on Wednesday Nights when the Pool Team was in residence, offered three flavors; mild, wild and thermonuclear.

As the Middle East Spring produces revolts in Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Syria and other countries smart enough to hide their dirt from the media, the world didn’t really care. All eyes were on the marriage of a Prince to a commoner.

Like an English Monarch will have some effect on the price of oil in the short or long term. Meanwhile the Afghan war continues with no real relief or major changes in site until May gets underway with a bang.

All through last year, but catching fire was the birther bullshit put out by the usual cracker propaganda media and hatemongers that the President is not an American. When Trump jumped on that bandwagon it led me to believe that America was being subverted by insidious spirits that have been awakened from hell, long sleeping since the Civil War or just napping since the Civil Rights Movement. Then the President had lawyers re-release his legal birth certificate and also release his original birth certificate (original certificate is not legal for identification purposes).

Unfortunately for the race-haters and assorted propagandists, the President is American. The President, having an African name with Islamic influences, has also been called an elitist, a professorial condescending liberal, an indecisive excuse for a leader, taking the country in the ‘wrong direction’. Meaning this; not making enough low wage jobs for a tax strapped middle class or not giving enough tax breaks to the obscene wealthy (that includes oil companies and their executives).

Then this tight lipped highly disciplined Commander–in-Chief pulled off what eight years and trillions by the last administration had not. U.S. troops and CIA operatives shoot and kill Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan, a city of 500,000 people that houses a military base and a military academy. Following a fire fight, the troops descend upon the compound and shoot Osama bin Laden after he reportedly refuses to surrender. Yeah, the President did his due-diligence and made the call.

I had just come in from sitting round a firepit, enjoying a cold beer from a keg of premium Heineken when N.F. turned on the boob tube in search of Sunday Night entertainment.

I had watched about 10 minutes of some action show on CBS when a banner flashed across screen, I turned immediately to CNN. When I saw the President announce that we got Bin Lauden, I was happy and reflective. It was a relief to know the boogeyman of terror was dead.

Today I found out that something else passed away. Mr. E. sold the old bar formerly the Beverly, formerly Cheers, formerly the Broadway Lounge, to an American of Jamaican ancestry allegedly from California. The information about the sale is valid. The information about the new owner could be pure bullshit. He could be an alien from another planet for all we know.

More intrigue to come.

RJ