Yesterday I posted about the recent ruling by the National Cemetery Administration to "ban" the recitation by honor guards as to the significance of the 13 folds, when folding the flag that had been draped over the coffin of our honored veterans.
I was personally offended when I read the story on Humbled Infidel's blog about the decision, even more so when I read Mr. Stokely's reply to my post. He is absolutely correct; this should be a family matter and not one for the bureaucrats.
The National Cemetery Administration is a division of the Veteran’s Administration, and as such they report to Congress and the President of the United States. We cannot allow our heritage and the honor of our veterans to be dishonored by this recent decision.
So what can we do?
First, we must contact our elected representatives in their home districts and Washington Offices. We must let them know that this blanket decision is inappropriate and must be rescinded immediately.
Secondly, we must contact the Veteran’s Administration and let them know that this blanket decision is inappropriate and must be rescinded immediately.
The decision to have this recitation must rest with the family and not the government. The funeral ceremony is not there to glorify the government or to appeal to the sensibilities of passersby; it is there to glorify and respect the fallen and to offer closure to the family. It is their wishes which should dictate what is and is not said during the course of the ceremony not the decision of onlookers and outsiders. It is definitely not the decision of bureaucrats in Washington or elsewhere to decide what is appropriate for the family. As Mr. Stokely so eloquently noted:
“Government is banned from making or establishing religion, and thus banned from interfering with those who have an established religion and the free exercise thereof. Accommodating the free exercise of a fallen soldier's religion and that of his family is not a Government endorsement or making or establishing of religion.”
I couldn't agree more. We allow our soldiers to note the religion of their choice on their identification tags so that the proper honors might be rendered, why would we now allow bureaucrats in Washington to decide for them and their families after the death of their loved one what is and is not appropriate for the family's ceremony?
Please contact your elected official and the Veteran’s Administration as soon as you can so that this horrendous decision can be overturned and the decision returned to the family where it belongs.
You can contact the VA by clicking here:
You can contact your Senator by clicking here:
You can contact your Congressman by clicking here:
You can contact the President by clicking here:
UPDATE:
FP, Notes we can send our comments and opinion of this recent decision to FOX NEWS by sending them an email.
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