Memorial Day Tribute to American Culture

In observance of Memorial Day I decided to take a whole week off. Why limit my BBQing, flag waving, and lawn sprucing to a single weekend?

We Americans sometimes assume everyone is working on our wavelength. Yesterday, one of our relatives living abroad called the house and was surprised when not one, but three people answered the phone. "Well it is a holiday weekend, Memorial Day," I reminded. Truly, he had forgotten. Living abroad can do that to a person. After a while, it's only natural to adopt the rhythms of a foreign country.

I've had the good fortune to travel abroad and sample other cultures. Love the change of pace, can't tolerate the adjustment. As a tourist, I can't wait to explore, experience, and sample. As a prospective immigrant, I doubt I could ever assimilate. I'm just too American.

"What does that mean?" I was once asked. "What culture is there in America? America is nothing more than shopping malls, McDonalds, and Hollywood." Boy did that person ever get it wrong.

Sure. There's all the regular cliches. Purple mountains majesty, Mom, and apple pie. Baseball, football, professional golf, bowling, and poker. Girls and boys next door, first proms, homecoming, and drive-in movies. But then there's the pulse of America, the little nuances I hold dear. It's wide open spaces, neighbors helping neighbors, charitable outreach, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, the Tournament of Roses and Macy's Thanksgiving Day parades, patriotic soldiers who fought and died for our right to be free, and so much more.

Today we honor those brave men and women, people who made the ultimate sacrifice so that their fellow Americans could continue this experiment in democracy. We may be slogging through tough economic times, but Americans are resilient. We bounce back. We always have.

My personal tribute to Memorial Day is a short list of cultural identifiers that make America great:

The Constitution

The Bill of Rights

Abraham Lincoln

Film, Music, and Ethnic Festivals

The Great White Way

National Parks

Well-Paved Interstates

Grassroots Activism

George Washington

Martin Luther King

Capitalism

Volunteerism

Majestic Monuments

Neighborhood Block Parties

Fully Stocked Supermarkets

Overnight Delivery

Uncle Sam

Brown v. Board of Education

Checks and Balances

Bald Eagles and Buffalo

Animal Shelters and Refuges

Natural Wonders

503(c) Corporations

Stars and Stripes

The Star Spangled Banner

Olympic Super Heroes

Land from Sea to Shining Sea

Arlington National Cemetery


Happy Memorial Day, to everyone, everywhere.

Harper's Bazaar Pictures Obama White House

America's Next Top Model Creator and Host Tyra Banks has designs on the White House. Banks channels her inner Michelle Obama for Harper's Bazaar's latest cover issue.

According to this report, Banks has put herself in Obama's shoes by contemplating a presidential hairdo and lauding Obama as "one hot momma."

"I think she actually could see herself in the White House," says a friend. "No, not as president, but first lady? She’d love nothing more."

This photo shoot may anger people. Bad enough Obama used an uncanny likeness of the presidential seal on the campaign trail, but now this. Seeing models portray the Obamas in the Oval Office may be more than some people can handle.

[Source]

Group Burial at Arlington Cemetery Emphasizes Need to Support Our Troops

On October 12, 2007, nine months after Iraqi enemy forces decimated their Black Hawk helicopter, the unidentifiable remains of twelve National Guard and Army troops received a group burial with military honors at Arlington Cemetery. It was the largest number of National Guard soldiers killed together since the start of the Iraqi War.

Hundreds of family members attended the ceremony. Couldn’t help but notice the remarkable similarities between one national tragedy defining a generation and another. Note the stoic faces of military, family members, and a young boy. A grieving widow positioned to the right of grieving parents. Even the two men in the back right corner bear an uncanny resemblance. Just substitute the skinny tie for sunglasses and vice versa.

Does the fame of one American family make the tragedy of ordinary people any less palpable or noteworthy? I think not. Like Kennedy, the brave men and women buried at Arlington took an oath to serve. They died in the line of duty for the greater good. The photograph of their families is just as iconic because it too captures a moment in United States history.

We Americans should be mindful of the difficulties suffered by our heroic troops and their families. We can show our appreciation for their sacrifices by penning letters, sending e-mails, or sponsoring a gift. Let’s put aside our political differences long enough to show our military we’re proud and we care.

I’m thinking macadamia nut double chocolate chip cookie care packages for Thanksgiving ought to do the trick.