19 Comments
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Jessica Griffith's avatar

Thank you for sharing 2LT Perez' story. I have a number of friends and family members who served. Every last one is horrified by the current administration and I do not believe any of them voted for it. Those who gave their lives for our Constitution deserve better than this.

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Laurie Sundstrom's avatar

Charlotte, this is the best thing I’ve ever read about Memorial Day and the utter disrespect being shown to those who served and died for our country.

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Sharon C Storm's avatar

Thank you, Charlotte, for putting the correct emphasis on the meaning of this important holiday. Those who did not return are owed a large measure of gratitude by those of us who never wore our country’ s uniforms.

Thank you also for your service, and your continuing writings to inspire patriotism and allegiance to our Constitution.

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Steven Dundas's avatar

Thank you. I remember her story well. I read about her about 9 months before I went to Iraq. Thank you for sharing it here. She was a remarkable young woman and officer. A woman of courage, integrity, and honor. She died too young, but her memory remains.

Thank you for your service to our country and for your voice today.

Sincerely,

Steve Dundas

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Richard's avatar

Beautifully written by one who knows. Thank you.

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Judith Hofeditz's avatar

Thank you for your beautiful tribute to Lt Perez and our service members. I have never been in the military but have family members who have honorably and proudly served for several generations. Those who have passed would be so horrified by current events. Thank you for your service. Thank you for the reminder of why this day is so important. I will hang our flag today at my home and keep it up to reclaim it as a proud symbol of what our country should stand for.

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Nancy Banaszak's avatar

You are not naive. What you envision and yearn for is possible, although it feels so remote at present. You never fail to inspire me, and I thank you for sharing the memory of 2Lt Perez. We can all keep that memory alive in spite of the adminstration.

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Roberta's avatar

You provide such clarity to these awful times. Thank you for writing, thank you for serving, thank you for educating us. Please don't stop.

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Richard's avatar

I agree with you 100%!

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Beth I-L's avatar

Thank you for sharing Lt. Perez’s story and for your well written reflection. How those cadets could sit there politely and attentive must be a tribute to their training. How appalling for them to have to recognize him as their Commander in Chief, particularly the marginalized group members his administration is trying to erase. I could not believe he left before the ceremony ended, before shaking hands with the graduates just so he could rush to his, as Jeff Tiedrich puts it, New Jersey golf motel and ex wife burial ground. He is a disgrace in every sense of the word and there is little doubt the overwhelming majority of those grads are twice the person he is.

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Carol Mammano's avatar

Thank you for this. I’m simultaneously glad and sorry you wrote this❤️

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Cindy G's avatar

Thank you for your service, past and present. I appreciate everything I have learned from you. 🌺

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Susan Brennan's avatar

This is heartbreakingly beautiful. I am so grateful to you for sharing.

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Eileen Daniel's avatar

You are not naive, wise and caring Charlotte. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and bringing some appropriate meaning to this day.

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Pam B's avatar

Thank you for your words, for your service, and for your very clear articulation of how so many of us feel about the current felon-in-chief. I do not have a military background, but I am both a daughter and daughter-in-law of WWII vets. They would both be horrified at what is happening now.

My gratitude to you, Charlotte.

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Bonnie Kuykendall's avatar

Keep writing, Charlotte. You stories make a difference.

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