Memorial Day and a movie review

Happy Memorial day to everyone. And I mean the real Memorial Day. Not the one that has come to mean the "official start to Summer" or the "let's grill" or the "let's stick it to the American consumer by jacking up gas prices" Memorial day. No, I'm talking about remembering the men and women who fought and died for my country.

To those who have served: Thank you.

Since I have your attention, I strongly suggest you watch the movie Taking Chance. From imdb.com:

Based on real-life events, Lt. Col. Michael Strobl, a volunteer military escort officer, accompanies the body of 19-year-old Marine Chance Phelps back to his hometown of Dubois, Wyoming

What made this movie remarkable for me is that the movie was not a vehicle to glamorize war or to vilify war. It could have easily become a propaganda film. The director very deftly crafted a movie that was much more than that.

This movie is about dignity and respect. Specifically, it dealt with what happens after a Marine dies in battle. From the moment a soldier falls until his or her body is laid to rest, the body is treated with the greatest amount of dignity, honor and respect as a part of protocol, but also, as the movie showed, as a spontaneous gesture by those who are thankful.