Local patriotism

If you spent Memorial Day weekend in Southeast Missouri you probably saw numerous displays of patriotism. While the weekend is considered an unofficial start to summer, the real meaning is to honor those who gave their all in defense of this great country. Several events in the area were held to do just that.

Hundred of flags were flown locally, including 500 at Cape County Park. The Avenue of Flags started in 1987, and on the first Memorial Day 125 flags were flown. Check out semissourian.com to see a photo gallery from the 1987 dedication and photos from this Memorial Day.

At a ceremony in Jackson the city's municipal band perform patriotic songs, and World War II veteran Kenny Bender gave a touching speech. Bender is a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, three Air Medals, two Bronze Stars and two Presidential citations.

About 500 people attended a separate event at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau that day as well. The Cape Girardeau Municipal Band performed, and local veterans shared their stories. Retired U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Sr. was the keynote speaker.

In his remarks of about 20 minutes, the former judge recalled our country's founding fathers -- the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence. Among the signers, said Limbaugh, were 16 farmers, 24 lawyers, nine businessmen, four doctors, two college presidents and one minister. Speaking with unbridled passion, he noted the significant price -- both in lives and possessions lost -- these men and their families paid for freedom. The full speech can be viewed at semissourian.com, but here's how Limbaugh ended his speech:

Freedom is everybody's business. It was bought willingly by those signers of the Declaration and the men who fought in the Revolutionary War. It was bought willingly in our lifetime by World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War people -- bought willingly by them. And it was bought, as Jefferson said in the Declaration, with their lives, their money and their sacred honor. Freedom, freedom can be maintained by all of us today and tomorrow at no less cheap a price. Everybody, we will not forget. We will not forget.

May we never forget.