I frequently write about how my sister and I enjoy traveling, she more than I because she loves cruises, and, to me, they are somewhat boring and confining! I prefer a backpack and a train schedule with no set agendas. Even so, we have spent time on most continents. This past month, however, we enjoyed a current U.S. travel trend when we went RV-ing in our neighboring states of Arkansas and Missouri.
It was so interesting to me to watch for all kinds of interesting signs throughout the two states. I must confess that I was very surprised to see only one sign for the former president in either state after seeing so many over the last several months in Texas. I saw only one in Arkansas. My sister saw one in a mechanic’s shop near Branson, Missouri. No others! May mean the new polls showing Biden’s popularity at 67% are real!
What we did see, though, made us continue to be glad we live in the United States of America! In Branson, we saw many people celebrating our democracy by honoring veterans both on the stage in dance, song, and recognition, as well as stories in local newspapers. One story I particularly enjoyed reading in the Branson paper was the World War II “Ghost” Army story. I had never heard of the Ghost Army! Maybe it will be a Private Ryan saga after all! Where is Tom Hanks when you need him?
I was surprised I had not heard of the Ghost Army because I have always been fascinated with all aspects of World War II, from the horror of the Nazis and the Death Camps to the Resistance throughout Europe in all countries, including places like the Warsaw Ghetto. The plight of 6 million Jews and other groups during the Holocaust continues to amaze me. Man’s inhumanity to man is appalling and “disgraceful”! There’s that word again! Used it last week! Comes from individuals doing immoral things!
The story of the Ghost Army is a long kept secret which is being revealed as the U.S. House moves forward on H.R. 707 (first introduced in 2015….I can’t help but wonder why it has taken so long to act on it?) to award these soldiers the Congressional Medal of Honor! The Senate and House, hopefully, will pass it this time!
Regardless, the Ghost Army were U.S. soldiers on the frontline conducting maneuvers to deceive the Nazis. Their missions to confound Nazis by using inflatable tanks, sound effects, radio tricks, all to fool the enemy and draw them away from the advancing Allies were classified and kept secret in Washington for many years. I guess it is about time we learn of it and the Congress, in a bipartisan fashion, acts on it! Whenever!
On this Memorial Day, let us be grateful for our democracy! World events continue to remind us how lucky we are. Great example - the Belarus dictator, Alexander Lukashenko, using one of his military jets to force the landing of a commercial airliner flying from Greece to Lithuania, in order to arrest a Belarus activist dissident and newsperson on board, makes us all aware how lucky we really are. The First Amendment to the Constitution states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
Aren’t we glad we have Rachel Maddow and Tucker Carlson? Shouldn’t we listen to them both to be better educated and to have a range of opinions on which to base our behaviors in our democracy? To recognize that a free press is the vanguard of protecting our democracy and no president should ever threaten or denigrate the free press?