Roll Call,....

To our honored dead, let your deeds be remembered. Many gave some, but some gave all. From the shores of Normandy, to Iwo Jima. This day of days started many years ago when brother fought brother. This nation was torn apart, and afterward the wounds took time to heal. Even in this turmoil the grateful nation still found time to decorate the graves of their honored dead. 848,000+ dead over the years this nation was founded. This is a quarter of a million more people than the entire living population of city of Denver. So when you walk around this weekend think about that with each face you see. Those great necropolis that lay in green fields, with crops of small white stones. Each a reminder of the sacrifice offered by so many, so that you are free to be more than your parents, more than your grand parents. Those honored dead gave you the right to be an American. They gave their life so that you can be more than a stereotype.

You are free to worship what ever God, concept of God, or mythical great spaghetti monster that you choose because those brave men and women had their checks cashed and their strings cut short. Many of them just barely eighteen. So many never married, had children, or even enjoyed their first kiss. They never enjoyed that weekend barbeque with beers and friends. So many left their life on the sands of a foreign beach, or deep in the tallest mountains of the world. Many times they died in places that many of you would never want to visit. They were democrats, republicans, wigs, independents, and most other political parties.

I once saw a picture that reflected on a dry erase board, on that board was a deep truth. America is not at war, the marines are at war. America is at the mall. America did not avenge the fallen towers, or the bombarded beaches of Hawaii. It was the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corp. So many young men and women. In 2010 it was estimated that Americans consumed well over ten million hotdogs. Over ten times the souls lost to death in service of this great nation. People talk about the military budget, but look to the sales across the country for this weekends barbeques and alcohol sales.

So to keep this short, I am going to say when you barbeque this weekend, offer a moment of silence and thanks to those that are the reason for this noblest holiday. This is the holiday the represents the possibility of other holidays in our nation. It is the prominent holiday. Maybe offer a celebration of one of those fallen men or women. Maybe think about the ads that all the retailers bombard you with, trying to exploit the holiday. Maybe just maybe take one moment to be thankful. This is not the holiday for veterans. This is not about the military, but those that died in service of your liberty since that first shot was fired almost three hundred years ago.

This is a time to be thankful for those that are dead.

This is a time to be thankful for those that ensured your liberty.

This is a time to be thankful.

This is not a time to be a drunken douche and dishonor those honored dead.