24 Comments

Powerful and memorable thoughts. Thank you for sharing your insights.

Memorial Day began as a simple ceremony by the mothers of both Union and Confederate soldiers to lay wreaths on their dearly departed ones' graves. It has now become the "official first day of summer," along with all the shopping sales a materialist could dream of. We don't honor our dead anymore, and we sure as hell don't honor the living, the ones who are barely living with the pain, or the dead innocent civilians who are thought of as only "collateral damage." No wonder the US supplied arms to Israel and watched in silence as it burned down a refugee tent village this past weekend. None of those lives matter either.

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In a sea of militarism and materialism, you're a voice of clarity and sanity, Matt.

Many thanks for these harrowing memories and reflections.

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May 28Liked by Matthew Hoh

Thank you Matt, all military cadets need to be informed about this unspoken part beforehand, the amount of death, pain and suffering they're going to inflict, both on others and themselves. All of that for some career politician sitting comfortably in an office somewhere, there's no glory in that whatsoever.

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my unalloyed gratitude and erumpent appreciation for your eloquent witness, your searing words, and your soaring heart that has swelled my own, matthew hoh.

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May 28Liked by Matthew Hoh

Thank you Matt Hoh for your clarity and sharing the wounds that war inflicts on all the souls that participate in it. Your voice bearing witness is so appreciated.

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May 29Liked by Matthew Hoh

Thank you, Matt. We've shared a link to this piece at NC Peace Action on our site https://ncpeaceaction.org/ and Facebook page. Take good care of yourself and please reach out to NCPA anytime. Peace Gratitude and Goodwill, Scott

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May 29Liked by Matthew Hoh

Brilliant and thank you. My father was in WW2. Medic in Italy. Anzio, Cassino. Never spoke of it - not just that but came away with an admiration for the German soldiers and a white-hot loathing for the U.S. government. And of course as Southerners our people were the target of the first U.S. war of conquest. The empire must end.

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It needed to be said. Thanks, Matt, for finding the words and the courage to share them with us.

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May 28Liked by Matthew Hoh

A powerful telling of a reality people would rather not hear. Americans are running away from so many realities as we watch our world fall apart around us.

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May 28Liked by Matthew Hoh

Thank you Matt.

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Since it's Memorial day....instead of Sales in shops etc. Maybe everything should be closed and people have to think.

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May 28Liked by Matthew Hoh

Thanks, Matt.

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after sharing your ineffable memorial-day hortation w/ my 7 adult bantlings, grand bantlings, and extended family members, several responded w/ their own emotive replies, even admitting that they were weeping throughout, particularly after your 3rd paragraph.

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May 29Liked by Matthew Hoh

Truth. It must be very painful for you, but thank you forever for giving it to us

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May 28·edited May 30Liked by Matthew Hoh

Most sentient folks know how wrong -insanely wrong- most of our wars (and not declared wars) have been and are aware of how horrific they are. You lived that horror. Thanks for this article and I hope its message brings about the needed change required. Let's start using our words and not our fists resolving worldly issues.

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Jun 3Liked by Matthew Hoh

OUTSTANDING

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