Memorial Day event should have been publicized

Memorial Day event should have been publicized

Why is Memorial Day a national holiday and a long weekend?

Whatever happened to remembering our veterans’ honor? Are they forgotten?

On May 27 The Acorn did not have front-page coverage of our armed servicemen carrying our country’s flag, nor did they mention the Memorial Day celebration. In former years, they did. I called The Acorn office to ask the place, the day and the time. No one knew.

I asked for the manager, she was out. I left a voice message to have her call—no answer.

I drove to the Pierce Bros. Cemetery. They had a large sign: "Memorial Day Celebration 10:30 a.m. Monday."

Well, the performances and music were wonderful. The participants drove from all over the state, some rising at 2 a.m. and returning home by dark.

These living veterans deserve our respect. They too remember their fallen comrades, all entering into harm’s way to preserve our freedom.

The words of Abraham Lincoln and Patrick Henry rang out with the same message as we need in our troubled times with terrorism: "Protect our freedom and rights and safety." Our children should see these tributes to our armed forces.

It was an hour show, plenty of time for lunch, barbecue and reading about bears on The Acorn’s front page. The crowd was extremely large, but (there were) many, many empty seats.

Our dead heroes left widows to raise young children. So many lives affected. A missing dad never forgotten.

This week’s Acorn did carry a picture on Thurs., June 3. I thought The Acorn would publish (a picture of) the veterans carrying the American flag on the front page. They deserve front-page coverage.

I paged through to page 18. The article? No. A 3½-inch picture of Major Tom Viachas, a retired B-24 Liberator pilot, saluting as veterans of World War II were acknowledged. Thanks, Tom.

It was captioned, "Locals remember fallen heroes." Another 3-inch picture of Gunnery Sgt. Willie Cooper leading Marines from the Second Battalion of the 23rd Marines in a 21-gun salute. Thanks, Willie, for all that you patriots did.

The Acorn did not mention that the Pierce Bros.Valley Memorial Park on Lindero Canyon Road, Westlake Village, would host the event next year. I would add 10:30 a.m. on the last Monday in May—Memorial Day.

Maybe my call helped. I hope so. See you next Memorial Day.

Mildred Mesinger

Westlake Village

Newspapers still depend on people and press releases regarding upcoming events. We also depend on fax machines, computers and the Internet.

They don’t always work. To our knowledge, if something was sent, it didn’t make our deadline.