In the previous post, you read that our Memorial Day weekend excursion included Washington, DC. That visit to our nation's capitol was the real reason for our trip --to join a half-million of our closest friends in honoring those who put their lives on the line for the freedom we sometimes take for granted. Rolling Thunder is a demonstration organized by vets to draw attention to the thousands left behind in Vietnam, remaining in POW or MIA status to this day. Over 20 years, it has evolved into a gathering of riders whose numbers total, depending on who you listen to, between 350 and 750 thousand. In the group photo, you can see a pedestrian bridge to the right behind all the bikes, rising to treetop level. We are parked 2 lots beyond that bridge, and only because we were able to sneak forward one lot during the day. We finally moved out from the Pentagon staging area about 2-1/2 hours after the noon parade start.
If I remember my frame of mind in 7th grade correctly, I'd say that a large part of it may have been lost on Katrina. Still, I think the spirit of the day and the staggering number of names etched into that granite wall will leave a lasting impression on her, as it does to me. While I'm neither a veteran, nor an activist, I am an American and I respect what that means.
Freedom isn't free.
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