Local reflections on Memorial Day

What memories do you have of Memorial Day Weekend?

Saturday and Sunday there were parades across our country. Sunday night was the great Memorial Concert honoring our 10,000 disabled veterans. Monday morning there was the Elk Grove Memorial celebration.

Let's start with Sunday night honoring the 10,000 disabled veterans returned from Iraq. There was great music from the orchestra, and musical stars. The highlight was an Iraq veteran. He couldn't walk, and could only say "Mom." His mother and his sister spent the last three years taking care of him, losing their jobs and their house.

Now we come to Elk Grove Memorial program. Our fallen veterans were honored by the placing of six wreaths, including Ladies Auxiliary Post 9284 and other Veteran's groups.

Our mayor, Craig Johnson, was one of several speakers. Our closing speaker was Lee Maternowski, library director who asked all veterans to go to the library and have their war stories told and then they will send them to the Washington Library.

One of my highlights was talking to some Boy Scouts. I had also been a Scout leader. Several had their merit badges on. I asked them if they have one on peace. One Scout said no but that they do have one on making friends with people of other countries.

I asked him if he thought man could stop war. He said yes. I told him I agreed with him but that we are in the 10 percent - sadly 80 to 90 percent think we can't stop war.

On Friday night Bill Moyers also spoke up saying we must stop these wars. During all these programs I only heard one other person say we need to stop war. Sadly, in none of these programs did I hear any person talk about the disabled Iraq soldiers or civilians who were killed in this war. We need to help the disabled veterans.

We need to find and train our leaders to be leaders of a peaceful world. We need to spread the news that war is a man made disease and we need to find a cure.

Robert Pendleton

Elk Grove Village