final rest

Today is Memorial Day, when we remember those who gave their own lives that we might live in freedom and peace. I don't know how others feel about the man who lives at the White House, but I am deeply offended and outraged at his actions and comments about America and our "arrogance". I think he either has forgotten, or chooses to ignore the amazing acts of courage and sacrifice that allow him to say those things. Below are some pictures and facts and numbers that staggered my mind. I hope others will look, and remember, and appreciate those sacrifices. But even more, I hope that Americans wake up, and speak up, and make their presence and feelings known, before our freedoms and rights are totally stripped away.

This is the American Cemetary at Aisne-Marne, France, where 2289 soldiers are laid to rest.

Above is the American Cemetary at Meuse-Argonne, France where 14,226 men who died for us lie.

Ardennes, Belgium is the final resting place for 5329 brave souls.

Above, Brittany, France shelters 4410 men sleeping until we meet again.


Below, Brookwood, England is the final resting place for 468 who gave the ultimate sacrifice.


And above, quiet and academic Cambridge England provides a quiet resting ground for 3812.
Flanders Field, Belgium is famous in history. And 368 American soldiers never came home, instead they quietly lie in the picturesque countryside.


Florence, Italy is rife with art, food, and wine. Did you know that 4402 American troops lie here? Look closely at the photo, those are fields full of crosses, not an empty meadow!!

Henri-Chappelle, Belgium (below) is the resting place for 7792 military. A beautiful park, but I think these troops would much rather be home bouncing great grandbabies on their knees.




Above, 10,489 American troops line the rolling hills of this quiet cemetary in Lorraine, France.

Below, 5076 graves lie silently in the tiny country of Luxembourg. Tiny it is, but important enough for American blood to nourish seeds of freedom.


Beautiful, and picturesque, the Netherlands fell to Hitler within just a few hours of the invasion. 8301 Americans bought her freedom with their lives.



On the left of the photo below, the shores of Normandy beach today are clean, and the water blue. On D-Day, so many died that the sand and water were red with blood. The beautiful cemetary shelters the graves of 9387 courageous men who were willing to die for freedom and their country. How does one express gratitude in the face of such bravery?

Above, 6012 Americans lie sleeping at Oise-Aisne, France. Are you still agreeing that we are an arrogant nation?

Below, Rhone France is the final resting place for 861 American troops.

The small island of Sicily holds the remains of 7681 valient American warriors.

Below, Somme, France houses the bodies of 1844 Americans in perfectly symmetrical rows.

Below, Suresnes, France provided a gorgeous park that we might bury our 1541 American soldiers who died for their freedom.


And, last but not least is the cemetary at St. Mihiel, France. There are 4153 American soldiers resting here.

These are only 19 American cemetaries where over 100,000 lie in peace until the resurrection. And so, maybe you can see why I feel so strongly about my country being called arrogant. We have earned our stripes, and I challenge anyone to match the sacrifices that we have made around the world. It is interesting that while the world delights in ridiculing American, and calling us everything from babykillers to over consumers and major polluters of the earth, who does the rest of the world look to when international troubles arise? What country "outdonates" the US in fighting disease and hunger over the globe? How DARE Obama BOW to anyone!! How DARE he apologize to other countries? And how DARE we allow this behavior to go unchallenged?