I attended the annual Memorial Day Remembrance at the Washougal (WA) Memorial Cemetery. This was my first time attending and I found the ceremony somber yet inspirational. Except for Washougal Mayor Jeff Guard's comments. He thanked the organizers and mentioned some of his relatives buried in the cemetery then mentioned the number of dead from Iraq and said that "even though this might be a controversial comment, maybe it is about time to bring them home."
No matter how we feel about the current war, we were not there to make political statements. We were there to come together as a community to honor those who serve this country, who protect this country, and who will die in the cause of liberty regardless if those of us in the relative safety of our homes agree on the definition of that cause.
The mayor's comments were juxtaposed against the elegance of the other speakers, poems, prayers, and tributes. The mayor's comments do have a place but a Memorial Day Remebrance was not it. I do not believe he meant disrespect but that was the result
In this morning's Camas-Washougal Post-Record, a letter to the editor appeared for which I heartily agree:
Mayor's remarks inappropriate
The following is a letter submitted by e-mail to Washougal Mayor Guard following his remarks at the Memorial Day services at Washougal Cemetery.
Mayor Guard, I am writing to you regarding your remarks made May 30 at the Memorial Day ceremony at Washougal Cemetery.
Thousands of our Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard men and women have been wounded or killed to protect the freedoms we hold dear, including the right to dissent and freedom of speech. Freedom of speech, however, does not make it your place to include your anti-war remarks at a Memorial Day ceremony honoring the members of our Armed Forces both living and dead.
Your remarks were at best poor judgment and at worst rude and insulting to those of us who have served our country in the armed forces, the families of those who have served and to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our most precious possession, our freedom as a nation.
You may agree or disagree with our governmentÂ’s attempts to bring stability and peace to a region that has known nothing but dictators and terror for many years, but to announce those views at a ceremony honoring our war dead on Memorial Day was unacceptable. This is a day to honor those who have been taken from us and whose sacrifice should never be forgotten, not to spout ones own political views.
We feel you owe the veterans, their families and the community an apology for your ill-timed remarks.
Floyd N. McCreary
RMCM USN Retired
Washougal
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