On Memorial Day, honor those who sacrificed lives for ‘a more perfect union’

Editor:

May 30 is a day to honor those who sacrificed their life for the United States. As a combat veteran I knew some of those who gave their last measure of devotion, defending the ideals that are embraced in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.

Men like Lieutenant Aaron Kingfisher, a Mormon from Utah, who had a wife and twin daughters back in the world. Service to his community and country was paramount. He believed communism was a grave threat to our democracy and he chose to fight in Vietnam before it came to our shores.

Men like Sergent Jesus Rodriguez from Mexico who joined the Army to prove his loyalty and become a citizen of this country. He dreamed of the economic opportunities and political freedoms afforded to citizens of the United States.

Men like Spec 4 D’Shaw Andrews, a black man from Detroit’s inner city where civil rights, afforded to most Americans, were denied. Yet he still defended the Constitution with his life in the hope of creating a more perfect union.

These men differed politically, morally and spiritually but the idea that all men are created equal and can come together and create a more perfect union transcended their individual differences.

They sacrificed themselves for the ideal of America.

This Memorial Day please remember to honor those who supported, defended and honored the Constitution of the United States.

William Fine

Brockport