In Honor of Our Military, 9-11 Heroes and Those Who Died

Though I felt unusually fatigued tonight, I did go to the neighborhood (Redondo Beach) memorial for 9-11 tonight. This photo shows the man's front yard where the Never Forget Empty Chair memorial is erected. It is one block from the beach so just beyond the flag is the Pacific Ocean.

I don't know what I was expecting--perhaps a 9-11 tribute peppered with a few protestors, but as billed, this evening was a vigil for the victims and families of 9-11. Opposition to the Iraq war was not mentioned once by anyone. It is the first time for Rev. Friend to commemorate 9-11, but homegrown as the evening was, I was deeply moved by everything that took place. It was a totally apolitical tribute and though several VFW guys were there from WW II, Korea and Vietnam, most of the 100 or so folks were neighbors or locals. The local fire department crews on duty and the Redondo Beach Fire Chief were there holding votive candles just like the rest of us. The Poice Chief was also there, because the memorial features his bronzed boots beneath the empty chair.

A young Marine who had completed 3 Iraq tours spoke briefly, the names of the South Bay men who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan were read, and we did a sing along of patriotic songs. The father of a Redondo Beach man whose son was killed in Iraq spoke briefly. Taps were played and so was Amazing Grace.

The angry-wanting-to-protest-the-war me was subdued as we prayed silently for all those men and women in all the wars of our country's history. As Rev. Friend pointed out, in how many countries in the world would a regular man put a war memorial in his front yard and then invite everybody to "Never Forget?"

Tonight I do feel proud to be an American, a very low-key American, in the small California town of Redondo Beach. I took time to gather with my peers, their kids, their dogs. For one hour we were all united.