Memorial Day and Israel
Dr. Michael L, Ford
25 May 2006
	When the Prime Minister of Israel addressed Congress
and the American people, since the speech was carried
live, I listened very carefully to all he had to say.
One thing that the media overlooked I quote to you
here verbatim. Ehud Olmert, not far into his speech
said: 
“This coming Monday, the 29th of May, you commemorate
Memorial Day for America's fallen. The graves of brave
American soldiers are scattered throughout the world,
in Asia and in the Pacific, throughout Europe and
Africa, in Iraq and throughout the Middle East. The
pain of the families never heals and the void they
leave is never filled. It is impossible to think of a
world in which America was not there in the honorable
service of humanity. On Monday, when the stars and the
stripes are lowered to half mast, we, the people of
Israel, will bow our heads for you.”
When he said those words, one had the feeling it was
not a matter of pure political rhetoric, but words
spoken with true feeling.
	It brought back the memory of something I first heard
when I was a young man. A speaker recalled the various
crises in the world during United State’s history. He
relayed that when people fled persecution in their
lands they came to America. And, when people in other
lands needed help facing brutal dictators and
intractable enemies they looked to America. Many
times, before the United States had formally entered
into conflicts, American men had already gone over on
their own volition to fight and die for the freedoms
of others because they held such freedom dear. The
speaker wondered if America should be in trouble whom
would she call on? And, if Americans should ever need
to flee, to where would they flee?
	Well today America is in trouble. She is facing a
common enemy, one that Israel had trouble with even
before that nation was reborn. There is nowhere to
run, and no reasoning with the enemy, though some
cowards in our midst delude themselves into thinking
so. This enemy has dared to assert itself because it
believes the U.S. has lost its moral compass and
therefore the will to be free. And, there are some who
through capitulation would make the sacrifices of the
past meaningless. Shame on them!