by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist
Today marks the 75th anniversary of the World War II breakthrough into mainland Europe by the Allied Forces, an event commonly referred to as the D-Day invasion. On that fateful day more an a hundred and fifty thousand American, British, and Canadian troops breached the German defenses along the coasts of France through the use of landing craft and other boats, parachutes, bombers, and even gliders. It was the largest military operation ever undertaken. The overall commander of the effort was American General Dwight D. Eisenhower - a man who would later become our nation's President.
Ceremonies marking D-Day have been occurring in England and France this past week, with several world leaders in attendance at the various events. Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain, herself a part of "the greatest generation," and is in her nineties now, has been a visible presence in the celebrations. Many veterans of the invasion, most of whom are also in their nineties, have made the trip to Europe for the commemorative ceremonies as well.
Elizabeth, back when she was merely a teenage princess, worked alongside of the military in Britain as a vehicle mechanic and an ambulance driver. Her service in World War II set the standard for the British royals, and many of the men in the royal family have worn their country's uniform. The Queen's second oldest son, son Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, fought in the Falklands War, and her grandson, Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, fought in Afghanistan.
So it's not surprising that Queen Elizabeth would, even at her age, manage to be at the center of things during this special time in Britain.
Other European leaders are also joining in the celebrations, and again, their presence is expected and appropriate even if none of them were born at the time of the invasion.
The United States coughed up the leader that it had to attend the ceremonies on behalf of the nation which did so much to turn the tide of the war in Europe. Donald Trump, a draft-dodger from the Vietnam era, spent much of the week tweeting threats toward Mexico and hurling insults at Bette Midler, but he was on hand for the celebrations and went through the motions of paying respect to those heroes from so many years ago.
No one in the Trump family has ever served in the United States military.
Donald Trump's presence at these solemn ceremonies honoring the brave souls who fought and died in World War II makes me angry, so angry that I recognize that I cannot write fairly, honestly, or even rationally about it. I would like therefore to throw in a couple of paragraphs from the opinion page of today's New York Times to flesh out my feelings on the matter. The editorial is entitled "Donald Trump Thinks D-Day Is About Him," and it was written by Roger Cohen. Mr. Cohen had this to say:
The unbelievably brave and patriotic young men and women who gave so much in defending our nation against the Nazis and fascists back in World War II deserve our continuing honor and respect today. The Nazis and fascists of World War II were evil people, and their racist, sexist, and homophobic counterparts today are just as evil.
They are not "fine people."
Thank you to all who have served and given so much. When challenges come, as they always do, may we once again be willing to unite and stand defiant the face of adversity - and be prepared to storm the beaches if we have to. We owe that to ourselves, and we especially owe it to the memories of all who raced through the bullets and bombs of Normandy to secure a beachhead and ultimately take down Hitler and his Nazis.
Hitler and his Nazis were not "fine people" either.
Citizen Journalist
Today marks the 75th anniversary of the World War II breakthrough into mainland Europe by the Allied Forces, an event commonly referred to as the D-Day invasion. On that fateful day more an a hundred and fifty thousand American, British, and Canadian troops breached the German defenses along the coasts of France through the use of landing craft and other boats, parachutes, bombers, and even gliders. It was the largest military operation ever undertaken. The overall commander of the effort was American General Dwight D. Eisenhower - a man who would later become our nation's President.
Ceremonies marking D-Day have been occurring in England and France this past week, with several world leaders in attendance at the various events. Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain, herself a part of "the greatest generation," and is in her nineties now, has been a visible presence in the celebrations. Many veterans of the invasion, most of whom are also in their nineties, have made the trip to Europe for the commemorative ceremonies as well.
Elizabeth, back when she was merely a teenage princess, worked alongside of the military in Britain as a vehicle mechanic and an ambulance driver. Her service in World War II set the standard for the British royals, and many of the men in the royal family have worn their country's uniform. The Queen's second oldest son, son Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, fought in the Falklands War, and her grandson, Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, fought in Afghanistan.
So it's not surprising that Queen Elizabeth would, even at her age, manage to be at the center of things during this special time in Britain.
Other European leaders are also joining in the celebrations, and again, their presence is expected and appropriate even if none of them were born at the time of the invasion.
The United States coughed up the leader that it had to attend the ceremonies on behalf of the nation which did so much to turn the tide of the war in Europe. Donald Trump, a draft-dodger from the Vietnam era, spent much of the week tweeting threats toward Mexico and hurling insults at Bette Midler, but he was on hand for the celebrations and went through the motions of paying respect to those heroes from so many years ago.
No one in the Trump family has ever served in the United States military.
Donald Trump's presence at these solemn ceremonies honoring the brave souls who fought and died in World War II makes me angry, so angry that I recognize that I cannot write fairly, honestly, or even rationally about it. I would like therefore to throw in a couple of paragraphs from the opinion page of today's New York Times to flesh out my feelings on the matter. The editorial is entitled "Donald Trump Thinks D-Day Is About Him," and it was written by Roger Cohen. Mr. Cohen had this to say:
"How small he is! Small in spirit, in valor, in dignity, in statecraft, this American president who knows nothing of history and cares still less and now bestrides Europe with his family in tow like some tin-pot dictator with a terrified entourage.
"To have Donald Trump — the bone-spur evader of the Vietnam draft, the coddler of autocrats, the would-be destroyer of the European Union, the pay-up-now denigrator of NATO, the apologist for the white supremacists of Charlottesville — commemorate the boys from Kansas City and St. Paul who gave their lives for freedom is to understand the word impostor. You can’t make a sculpture from rotten wood."
The unbelievably brave and patriotic young men and women who gave so much in defending our nation against the Nazis and fascists back in World War II deserve our continuing honor and respect today. The Nazis and fascists of World War II were evil people, and their racist, sexist, and homophobic counterparts today are just as evil.
They are not "fine people."
Thank you to all who have served and given so much. When challenges come, as they always do, may we once again be willing to unite and stand defiant the face of adversity - and be prepared to storm the beaches if we have to. We owe that to ourselves, and we especially owe it to the memories of all who raced through the bullets and bombs of Normandy to secure a beachhead and ultimately take down Hitler and his Nazis.
Hitler and his Nazis were not "fine people" either.
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