Biden commemorates war dead at Arlington National Cemetery

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By CALVIN WOODWARD

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — President Joe Biden honored America’s war dead at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day by laying a wreath at the hallowed burial ground and extolling the sacrifices of the fallen for the pursuit of democracy.

The president was joined on Monday by first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff in a somber ceremony at the Virginia cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which is dedicated to deceased service members whose remains have not been identified.

His face tight with emotion, Biden walked up to the wreath, cupping it in his hands in silent reflection and then making the sign of the cross. Later, he called on Americans to commemorate their fallen heroes by remembering their fight for the nation’s ideals.

“This nation was built on an idea,” Biden said in an address at Arlington. “We were built on an idea, the idea of liberty and opportunity for all. We’ve never fully realized that aspiration of our founders, but every generation has opened the door a little wider.”



President Joe Biden adjusts a the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day, Monday, May 31, 2021, in Arlington, Va.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/veterans-government-and-politics-3c14d961839b6bf0b4ecd20b5d7d2efd

[empedocles]

1. This President commemorates for real.

[Botany]

2. The pain is real today for Joe Biden. He lost his Beau to brain cancer he got serving in Iraq.

Grown ups are back:

“This nation was built on an idea,” Biden said in an address at Arlington. “We were built on an idea, the idea of liberty and opportunity for all. We’ve never fully realized that aspiration of our founders, but every generation has opened the door a little wider.”

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

3. Biden on Memorial Day: Democracy is 'in peril,' worth dying for

President Joe Biden marked Memorial Day with an address at Arlington National Cemetery, pledging to never forget or fail to honor fallen veterans’ sacrifice and saying that democracy is “worth fighting for” and “dying for.”

Democracy, which he called the “soul of America,” is in danger, Biden said on Monday.

“Democracy itself is in peril, here at home and around the world,” Biden said, speaking to military officials and people who have lost military loved ones after a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. “What we do now, what we do now, how we honor the memory of the fallen, will determine whether or not democracy will long endure.”

Throughout the speech Monday, Biden praised veterans’ sacrifice for democracy and defended democracy’s aspirations, though saying the U.S. hadn’t always lived up to them. He called empathy “the fuel of democracy.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/biden-on-memorial-day-democracy-is-in-peril-worth-dying-for/ar-AAKzrYv?li=BBnb7Kz

[Biophilic]

4. This is decency, this is real, not made up TV garbage. It's very hard to take in.

The emotions are so real and on the surface. Maybe this is what others are afraid of, this sense of reality, of the pain, as well as the joy of life. Pain and loss are hard to negotiate and most of us would rather not. But the joy and love that go along with pain and loss are worth the price, at least for me. I honestly fear there are so many others that would rather just not see or feel the uncertainty and fear that life can sometimes be very, very hard. Having the President of the United States show such raw and real emotion is difficult. But I'd far rather have someone who can feel and show these emotions than someone who can't and won't. Thank you, Joe.

[Aristus]

5. "This nation is built on an idea."

The relevant part starts at 2:31.

[rebe303]

6. I love our POTUS and FLOTUS

Thank goodness for real and decent Leadership

[ffr]

7. The gravity of Memorial Day means so much more when your leader understands

the meaning of sacrifice.

Voters made this happen.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

8. I missed having a real POTUS who cares about people

[Mazeltov Cocktail]

9. Remember when rain, the wettest in terms of water...

...interfered with the Commander in Chief paying respects to the fallen soldiers of our country...

In hindsight, I still can't believe that vile vain, disgusting, disgraced pos was the leader of the free world.

[lastlib]

10. As an aside, during his speech, I noticed....

...zillions of cicadas were singing the song of their "people" in the background.

A very moving address from our President, BTW.

(SO glad to be able to use the phrase "our President," and capitalize it these days!)