Friday is June 6. That of a certain vintage will add ‘D-Day’ mentally.
No official vacation. Rather a solemn birthday, such as December 7 or September 11 or January 6. One of the memorable events that have formed our world. If you are unknown – and some are – June 6, 1944, then the Allied expedition power was the beaches in Normandy, France, the Nazis from Europe.
Normally I would extinguish the flag. But it has been displayed in front of my house since Memorial Day. Some shrink for patriotism, given the hard right turn into darkness that our country takes. I, I lean in with the zeal of a fight trainer who encourages his boxer, flat on his back on the canvas: “Come on, get up, your mug! Get up!”
So I keep the flag flying. I will say the promise and perform my other small tradition of June 6 – posts The opening clip of Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan”. The rising ocean and steel tank traps. The small landing vessel, which shoots to the beach with German machine gun surface. The Americans, led by Tom Hanks, chew tobacco, praying, jokes, puke. The rough courage of the moment.
You have to wonder if Americans would go on the beaches today. Why don’t you leave the Nazis over Europe? We certainly seem willing to have the Russians Ukraine.
Were we several people then? Not really. After the Germans had invaded Poland and the war – September 1, 1939, to throw another date – a Gallup poll showed that 88% of Americans fight against free to free Europe. Two-thirds did not even want to give weapons to Great Britain, because this did this, the risk of antagonating Mr Hitler.
That changed after the Wehrmacht had rolled over France. Belgium. Norway, the Netherlands, Greece – 11 countries in total. We could see where this went. Totalitarianism always grabs more. It never stops until it has stopped.
America is slow to arouse. Two years after the Second World War broke out, we liked to sit on our hands. Until Imperial Japan did us and the world a huge favor by bombing Pearl Harbor. Even then, while they were produced to explain the war against Japan, we did not include their allies, the Germans. Instead, the Nazis declared war us. We didn’t jump; We were pushed.
Would we wade in a blood red tide on Normandy Beach in a blood red tide? During Covid, millions of Americans came out to do something for the public interest, no matter how small. Sacrifice infringing their personal freedoms. How could anyone imagine that we would climb ropes on the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc, in the teeth of the German machine guns, if we will not wear a cotton mask?
We grew to hate the Nazis – cruel sheep after a murderous madman, who held these walking speeches, furiously against his enemies – Jews and just about every nationality that was not German. They had no freedom of expression, no story in the courts. The Gestapo showed up and took you with you and you were never heard again. We did not want to live in a country where the secret police pick people from the street in broad daylight from the street and drag them to nightmare -like prisons.
Oh wait. That was Chicago on Tuesday, with ICE agents who – for now – seize immigrants from outside the court. Arresting people who tried to live within the legal system. You can comfort yourself that these were immigrants, and not you. But that is an empty reasoning, a distinction without a difference. As saying, “They were just Jews.” If there is no appropriate process, no responsibility, no law, the government can decide something, seize someone, for whatever reason. By the time they reach you, it will be too late.
There were bad years after Pearl Harbor; 1942 was a bad year; 1943 was a bad year, although the tide started to run. There were hard fights after D-Day. But once America had mobilized her will and her power, the end was earlier.
Now it’s not. D-day was easier in a sense. The largest invasion in the sea in history was collected. Our allies, Canada and Great Britain, were with us. The enemy stood for them, groove on the beaches and wore identifiable uniforms. Now the enemies of democracy look like our leaders and are within our gates. The forces of freedom are spread and confused. I would like to say that we will find ourselves, again groups, re -discover our national goal and save ourselves. But I really can’t be sure. We did, remember, let us come to this point. The best thing I can say is, we have ever done it before. Maybe we can do it again.
#DDay #reminder #fight #freedom