Received via email:

Major media networks are diminishing or secularizing Memorial Day by including current veterans with remembrances.
By including living veterans, it takes away the meaning and spirit of this ultimate sacrifice that those killed-in-action have made.
It almost seems that the mainstream only wants us to see that only martyrs can give their lives for a cause. To keep a secular view in the public mind and esprit de corps for the fallen in check.

This is not what Memorial Day is for.

Memorial Day is only for those brave military service personnel that gave the ultimate sacrifice for the United States and that is their lives.

For all U.S. veterans we have Veterans Day.

-Anonymous

Editor’s note: Google got it right!

PHILADELPHIA, May 30 /PRNewswire/ — Father Rick Curry, the founder of the Writers Program for Wounded Warriors, will deliver remarks at the traditional Memorial Day ceremony held at the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Front and Spruce streets.

The noon ceremony on Monday, May 31, will also feature “echo taps” by two Philadelphia Police buglers and two firing squads from the VVA Chapter 266 and the police.  Wreaths will be presented and a stirring rendition of “Danny Boy” will be sung by Michael L. Daily III.

A Jesuit since 1961, Father Curry is the founder and artistic director of the Writers Program for wounded Warriors of the National Theatre Workshop of the Handicapped (NTWH).  The program has provided workshops for veterans that guide participants to learn to write and perform dramatic dialogue based on their experiences.  The nationally recognized program has helped veterans with emotional healing and in coping with their disabilities.

Father Curry, who founded in 1977 the parent organization NTWH, also founded the Academy for Veterans in Georgetown this year and hopes to launch a bakery program in the DC area that would employ veterans. He is a graduate of St. Joseph’s University and has a Master’s Degree in Theater from Villanova and a doctorate in theater from New York University.

The ceremony is being conducted by the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, which has oversight of the Memorial in cooperation with the Fairmount Park.

Senators Leave for Vacation, Allowing Medicare Meltdown to Begin June 1

WASHINGTON, May 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The following statement is attributable to J. James Rohack, M.D., President, American Medical Association:

“The Senate has turned its back on seniors, and America’s physicians are outraged that Congress has deserted patients by failing to address this year’s Medicare cut before the June 1 deadline.  Senators are more interested in heading home for the holiday than in preventing a Medicare meltdown for seniors.  The 21 percent Medicare physician payment cut has been looming all year, and yet all Congress has managed to do is repeated short-term delays.  This is complete mismanagement of a health care program that America’s seniors and the disabled rely on.  Already, about one in four Medicare patients looking for a new primary care physician have trouble finding one, and congressional inaction will make it much worse.

“It is sad and ironic as we enter the Memorial Day holiday that Congress’ inaction on the 21 percent cut puts health care for America’s military heroes and their families at risk. TRICARE, the health care program for military families ties its payment rates to Medicare.

“Enough is enough: nine times in eight years Congress has delayed the cut and not fixed the problem.  Congress needs to buckle down, stop growing the problem and fix it once and for all to save the Medicare and TRICARE programs for America’s seniors and military families.”

SOURCE American Medical Association

CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ –Though NASCAR Sprint Cup racing teams may be known for their intense competition on the track, there is one thing they always come together for off the track – their support for our nation’s armed forces. This Memorial Day, two teams in particular are taking that support to another level. In partnership with the Armed Forces Foundation, Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) and Richard Childress Racing (RCR) have put together a series of weekend events to honor our troops and raise awareness about the difficulties service members and their families face in defense of our country.

Armed Forces Foundation

Several weeks ago at the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Motor Speedway, Aaron’s Inc. and MWR unveiled the Armed Forces Foundation/Aaron’s Dream Car to be driven by David Reutimann at the Coca Cola 600 in celebration of Memorial Day and in support of the Aaron’s “Text ‘AFF’ to 50555″ campaign. Aaron’s further upped the ante by pledging a series of donations contingent upon the results of the race. On race day Aaron’s will donate $10,000 to the Armed Forces Foundation in support of its programs. However, if Reutimann earns a top 5 finish, that donation will be doubled to $20,000. Should Reutimann win (as he did last year), Aaron’s will contribute $200,000. NASCAR has donated pit and garage passes for our foundation to bring a group of wounded service members from the Bethesda National Naval Medical Center to cheer on the AFF Cup car. Read More »

Says returning military veterans among those hit hardest by unemployment

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — With more veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan and the state’s unemployment rate still stubbornly high this Memorial Day, Auditor General Jack Wagner renewed his call for the Pennsylvania State Civil Service Commission to increase enforcement of veterans’ preference provisions in the filling of state jobs.

“It’s imperative that the civil service commission faithfully execute state and federal laws and give these patriot Americans the preference in hiring that they have earned through service to their country,” said Wagner, a former U.S. Marine who received a Purple Heart for wounds received in Vietnam. “The unemployment rate for military veterans is higher than that for the general population, both nationally and in Pennsylvania. It’s unconscionable that our state government would turn its back on these brave men and women who were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms – especially at a time when Pennsylvania is enduring its toughest economic condition in at least a generation.”

Wagner issued an audit in November 2008 that found the Civil Service Commission was lax in requiring state agencies to give preference to veterans in filling job vacancies. The audit recommended that the commission take steps to require state agencies to consider veterans when filling all job vacancies.

Civil Service Commission executive director, Jeffrey Wallace, recently sent a letter to Wagner, saying that the commission had rejected the auditor general’s recommendation.

“The Civil Service Commission’s position is both wrong and incomprehensible,” Wagner said. “By requiring state agencies to obey the law and consider eligible veterans when filling job vacancies, the Civil Service Commission would simply be giving veterans the opportunity for employment that they have earned through military service and as competent qualified applicants.”

Authority for the Veterans’ Preference Program in Pennsylvania is provided by the Military Affairs Act of 1975 and the Pennsylvania Civil Service Law.  The program provides that veterans who pass the civil service exam receive 10 additional points on their civil service exam scores and have mandatory hiring preference for civil service employment positions, if the veteran has one of the three highest exam scores for the position being considered. There is no reason why military veterans are not receiving the employment opportunities that they have earned and that state law requires the State Civil Service Commission to recognize, Wagner said.

Wagner initiated his audit after receiving a complaint from a veteran, which alleged that the commonwealth had not been applying veterans’ preference in its employment decisions or had been applying the preference in an unsatisfactory manner. Read More »

Diverse News Editor’s Note: Memorial Day’s proper meaning is to commemorate military personnel who were killed while on active duty.  Veterans Day is to honor those who have served and are currently serving (over 180 active duty days).

Washington, DC, May 26, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — For more than 20 years, PBS has been proud to honor the service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform, their families at home and all those who have given their lives for our country with the NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT. The multi award-winning event, broadcast live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, will be co-hosted for the fifth year by Emmy Award-winner Gary Sinise (CSI: NEW YORK) and Tony Award-winner Joe Mantegna (CRIMINAL MINDS), two acclaimed actors who have dedicated themselves to veterans’ causes and supporting our troops in active service. The 21st annual broadcast of THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT will air live in HD on PBS Sunday, May 30 from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. ET (check local listings) before a concert audience of hundreds of thousands, millions more at home, as well as to our service members around the world on the American Forces Network.

The evening, that has become an American tradition, offers viewers a time to remember, to heal and bring our country together. The 2010 event will focus on three themes:

• The concert will honor the sacrifices, suffering and love of a new generation of young military widows whose fallen spouses served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• On the 60th anniversary of the Korean War, the broadcast pays tribute to the heroic service of the soldiers who fought and perished in this “forgotten war.”
• The concert will also pay homage to the more than 125,000 WWI and WWII service members who did not come home but rest in 24 military cemeteries in the foreign lands where they fought for liberty.

Joining co-hosts Sinise and Mantegna will be an all-star line-up that includes: distinguished American leader Colin L. Powell USA (Ret.); Oscar, Golden Globe and multiple Grammy award-winning music legend and humanitarian Lionel Richie whose distinguished career includes over 100 million records sold; Grammy, CMA and ACM Award-winning country music artist Brad Paisley; Tony and Emmy Award-winning actress Blythe Danner; acclaimed actors Dennis Haysbert and A.J. Cook; classical crossover artist Katherine Jenkins; three time Tony-nominated Broadway star Kelli O’Hara; and Grammy-winning gospel/adult contemporary superstar Yolanda Adams in performance with the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of top pops conductor Jack Everly.

The ‘American Heroes’ Vignettes Premiere During Military Channel’s Live Coverage of the National Memorial Day Parade on May 31st

INDIANAPOLIS and SILVER SPRING, Md., May 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ – The American Legion and Military Channel have teamed up to honor troops who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, including three soldiers who never made it back home.  A series of ten, one-minute vignettes, “American Heroes” premieres Memorial Day on the Military Channel, which co-sponsored the production with The American Legion – the country’s largest veterans service organization with about 2.5 million members worldwide.

Produced by Creative Street Entertainment, “American Heroes” includes the dramatic and poignant stories of those who fell in battle, suffered severe injuries, helped repair war-torn communities, or made it home to help other wounded warriors.  Each American hero is honored with a Norman Rockwell Moments portrait at the close of the vignette.  The profiles will air on the Military Channel for an entire year, starting with the network’s live coverage of the National Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 31 from 2 to 4 p.m. EDT.

“The ‘American Heroes’ stories are a collection that encompasses several different aspects of what it means to be a hero in wartime.  First and foremost, we think of those who gave their lives – those whose memories we will honor forever,” said Clarence Hill, national commander for The American Legion.

“Then there are those who return home with severe injuries, yet go on to succeed in the civilian world. We have American heroes who take care of wounded troops at VA hospitals, who have helped Iraqi children in their devastated cities, or who have taught their own families how to be heroes,” Hill said. These vignettes really highlight the sacrifices of our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and how veterans of those wars continue to serve our country.”

“Partnering with The American Legion to create these ‘American Heroes’ vignettes is emblematic of Military Channel’s commitment to sharing compelling stories of heroism from within the U.S. Armed Services,” said Henry Schleiff, general manager and president of Military Channel, Investigation Discovery and HD Theater.  ”And what better day to launch these poignant stories than Memorial Day, a hallowed day for our country to recognize the accomplishments and sacrifices of the men and women serving in uniform, who have preserved our freedom and liberties while bringing security to the world.” Read More »

By Gary Goldfarb

May 20, 2010/ PHILADELPHIA – With all the recent news of Arizona’s S.B. 1070 law, a Mexican being beaten and the Mexican president calling the law ‘racist’, does this mean that Mexicans are of a certain race?

Last I checked, Mexico is a country. Let’s switch countries around to see: So, if a Mexican police officer said, “I’m going to beat the f***ing American piss out of you, Homey! You feel me?” to an American, would that be racist?
Mexico and the United States were invaded and conquered by the Spaniards [Europeans]- remember, the conquistadors? The Spaniards beat the natives in what is now Mexico. The other Europeans [English] ‘invaded’ and beat the Spanish-Europeans and the United States is now what it is. (See below video):

Now we have the Mexican president, Calderon (which is a Spanish [European] surname), saying that the Arizona 1070 law is ‘racist’.
Once again, switch countries around to let’s say, Canada, which was also conquered by Europeans [French]. Would it be ‘racist’? No, that’s because Canada is just another country. (See video below):

Now, the United States’ people are made-up of mostly European decent, with Blacks making-up 13%. What part of Mexico is European?
In our minds, we have been trained to think of Mexicans as ‘Latinos’ – who came-up with this?
The Latin world, as we know it, is basically every single country south of the U.S. including many Caribbean, but not all, countries. Some Caribbean countries are almost all elusively Black. Are there any Blacks in Mexico? I haven’t seen any, minus tourists. At one point in time, c. 1570, Blacks outnumbered Spaniards 3:1 Brazil has many Blacks but not Mexico. Whatever happened to the Black Mexicans?

Reciprocating, if we call most countries’ people south of the U.S., ‘Latinos’ – what do the Latinos call the northern countries’ peoples?
It’s time we all recognize our true history.
And don’t forget, on these continents, both North and South, we are all Americans.

-Gary Goldfarb ©
Diverse News

INDIANAPOLIS, May 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — In letters to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader John Boehner, the head of the nation’s largest wartime veterans organization stated his group’s opposition to repealing the military’s ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ (DADT) policy.

“We feel strongly that the current policy has served the U.S. military well for 17 years and it would not be wise to make a major cultural change in the middle of two wars,” The American Legion National Commander Clarence E. Hill wrote. “Moreover, the Department of Defense has already directed a study on the policy and it would be premature to act before the commission conducting the study releases its findings.”

The American Legion was concerned with reports that members of the House might seek an amendment to the FY11 defense authorization bill, which would repeal the law.

“Under current policy, men and women are already allowed to serve their country regardless of their sexual preference. Allowing homosexual members to announce their preference within the ranks could jeopardize the unit cohesion which is so essential to military success,” said Hill, a retired U.S. Navy captain and veteran of the Gulf War.

“The military is a unique environment, in which DADT has worked well, without diminishing our nation’s war-fighting capability,” Hill continued. “Indeed, the core purpose of our military is to fight and win our nation’s wars. Enacting any law that does not enhance the military’s ability to accomplish that mission would be detrimental to the security of our nation. We believe that the repeal of DADT would be such an action.”

With a current membership of 2.5-million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and youth programs. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.

WASHINGTON, May 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Practicing what they preach – helping to make a real difference in veterans’ lives – members of The American Legion spent nearly one million hours volunteering at VA medical facilities in fiscal 2009.

The nation’s largest veterans group is also one of America’s largest volunteer organizations, its ranks populated by what VA Secretary Eric Shinseki recently described as “people who are regularly, habitually and deliberately kind.”

Shinseki highlighted the critical importance of volunteerism when he addressed graduates May 15 at the University of Maryland-University College. Last month, Adm. Mike Mullen told the Council on Foundations that community non-profit groups are the answer to meeting veterans’ needs, once they’ve left the federal system. Mullen is chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“Lately, Secretary Shinseki and Admiral Mullen have been placing an exclamation point on what we’ve been doing for a long time – volunteering to help out veterans and their families,” said Clarence Hill, national commander of The American Legion.

“Lobbying Congress on veterans issues is something we do extremely well, but The American Legion isn’t centered on Capitol Hill. We’re a huge grass-roots organization that does most of its good work at the local level.

“Everywhere you find a VA hospital or clinic, you’re bound to find an American Legion post, too – and Legionnaires from that post spend a lot of their time visiting disabled and wounded veterans,” Hill said.

About 6,300 members of The American Legion volunteered 916,598 hours of their time in FY 2009 to visit with veterans. Although that effort saved VA $18.5 million, Shinseki said that monetary value was only part of equation when it came to veterans reaching out to other veterans.

“There are some things they do that we can’t put a price on. What’s the price of a ‘thank you’? What’s the going rate for dignity and respect for a combat veteran? Such values cannot be calculated,” he said.

While The American Legion makes a strong contribution every year to VA’s Voluntary Service Program and Suicide Prevention Program, its outreach Read More »