Veterans Day 2008-Dad’s Medals

Veterans days is weird without my Dad around. We would always do something together that day…especially in his later years. Even when I was younger and at college I would always call him to say “thanks.” And when I was a young punk that was blind to so much, the one thing I always had a respect for was veterans day. Its funny, as I just typed that last sentence I had to laugh at the idea of “Well I may have been screwed up and a total jerk…But I at least respected Veteran’s Day.” It reminds me of one time my brother was talking about all his problems with drugs and court and outstanding warrants and then he says…”I’ll tell ya what though…I have a perfect driving record. No speeding tickets! Nothing. Spotless”

My reasons for always honoring the veterans may have been more pragmatic than anything though. They put the roof over my head when my dad lost his job and got cancer. They gave us financial help and housing to get us on our feet. The guy from the veterans council helped my dad get food stamps ,and whatever we could, to help him provide as a single dad for three kids. I specifically remember when I was younger I would have to go into the grocery store and pay for stuff with food stamps and I would be embarrassed and always look behind me to see if anyone from school was there.
I would also get free lunch at school and I had a big red card that I would have to whip out at the end of the lunch line.

I tell those stories to also let you know that Dad did find a job. He worked crazy hours at nights too. And we worked our way off of public assistance. And my sister and I payed our way through college with the help of some grants and loans. And these were all things that the government helped us with. They were not hand outs but rather a hand up in troubled times. And I remember the feeling inside of being POOR. And I can imagine how my Dad must have felt. A proud Italian-American. A combat veteran. An insanely smart and talented engineer. And now he was depending on others for help. But no matter how we felt embarrassed or felt like a little of our dignity was taken from us…THANK HEAVENS those things were there for us. And perhaps this is why I get so emotional at times at election time. When I hear “god fearing americans” characterize welfare recipients as “sucking off the teat of America”. When I hear “god fearing americans” talk about how evil the government is and how people need to “pull themselves up by their bootstraps.” Or the WORST. When they say “Why should MY TAX DOLLARS go to help THEM?” And then after they say all this…they have the nerve to question MY patriotism and MY faith. Funny…My dad risked his life in the war and he NEVER questioned anyone’s patriotism nor asked them their politcal party nor checked their race nor ethnic heritage. What gives these people any right to do that to me. Ahh jeez I pity those poor short-sighted and ignorant people. God and country? Really? REALLY?

Because last time I checked it was patriotism like my Dad’s that saved this country.
It was faith like my Dad’s that kept us believing in the hope for our future despite really shitty times and really bad days. And when my Dad and his buddies risked their lives on a B-24 flying over Nazi Germany…I don’t think they ever said “Why should I risk MY life for THEM.” They just did it because they believed that we were ALL in the same boat. We were all on the same side. We all just wanted a decent life and some time with our families and a little bit of dignity. So I send this out to my Dad wherever he is to say “Thanks.” And To my friend Roland Pepin who served with my Dad I say “Thank You” for risking it all for ME. Me. A former “small town punk stoner loser” who managed to turn out OK. Because of the sacrifice of so many for a country that has given me so much.
Happy Veterans day.

BTW the picture shows a few things from Dad’s old cigar box full of war stuff.