There are many ways to remember the dead and missing from our wars, but leaving an empty seat at the racetrack, in the stadium, or at the bar, as Kevin Cullen suggests in his Nov. 6 Metro column “Seats to remember,” would not be my choice. We honor the dead best by taking care of the living. We do that in the first place by refusing to send our young people to senseless wars and to wars without end.
For those who do return home, battle scarred and unprepared for civilian life, we must generously meet their needs with whatever health care, educational opportunities, and job training that is appropriate to their situation.
Comments
Memorials do not glorify war. They are historic symbols (evoking sadness) that remind us of the sacrifices our loved ones gave in order to keep the world free of tyrants like Adolph Hitler, Hirohito, Al Quaida, etc.