Freddy S. Zalta: The meaning of this day was long ago lost to barbecues, beaches and days off. Days of too many beers, too much sun and driving the car listening to music way too loud. The lifestyle of the free people of the world is all about that, being free, acting free and taking freedom for granted. The soldiers of freedom sacrifice their lives, their sanity and their youth to being stationed in mine fields, nests of terrorism and on the front line fighting the angels of death defending freedom. Defending the free people of the world to take the freedom for granted, to try and understand that we as the once leading country of the free world must, once again, defend the ones who are not permited to live their lives as they choose. Here in the United States – people always find something to complain about – transgender bathrooms, police targeting blacks, Muslims wanting to build Mosques outside or atop the hallowed ground where innocents were killed by, extreme Muslims. Protests are held – pro and anti different issues across the country. That is freedom. Can you imagine not being able to effect change in the world for fear of being killed or being put away forever? The soldiers of the good countries of the world – they have sacrificed their lives – even if they survive the battles, their lives will never be the same again. Once you have seen war, your brain is reconfigured and one can never have the ability to see life as it once was. They rush in where everyone fears to tread – they rush in because they have a mission to accomplish. A mission to destroy the evil so the good are able to live their lives in freedom, in peace… Limbs are lost, organs destroyed, faces ripped apart…but they don’t look back – they stand and they stand proud. No human being has any right to be this courageous. No human being has any right to have the faith in freedom and liberty as they do. No human being has any right to be selfless to the point of losing their lives or limbs. We should all stand when they walk into a room. We should all shed a tear when one of them sheds a tear. Read more 2016/05/30/memorialday2016/Instagram