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Several years ago I had occasion to attend graveside services for a friend who was to be buried in the little town of Loretto, TN. As the funeral procession approached the cemetery entrance, two boys about the age of eight or ten rode their bikes toward us from the opposite direction. As we turned into the cemetery, those boys stopped and stood astride their bikes with their bill caps placed over their hearts while the procession entered. I have not forgotten the respect they showed the family of my late friend that day.
Fast forward to October of '08. I was in D.C. for a few days and decided to visit Arlington Cemetery. As we approached the entrance, I was stunned to see a group of protesters on the roadside, signs and all. Several funerals occur each day at Arlington and these folks were making a spectacle of themselves. I don't know who they were or what their objective might have been, but I was profoundly dissapointed to see this kind of activity.
These two incidents are connected in my mind and illustrate, for me at least, the many and varied views, perspectives, and values we find in this country of ours. I've been all over the U.S., met all kinds of people, and have found them to be very much alike from one region to the next. The demographics may be a little different, but I can find a redneck bar in just about any locale, and probably not too far from a nice golf and country club at that.
Best, Mike
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