on this memorial day, I'll feature this... Mississippi Power sent bucket trucks to the funeral of a guy that worked there for 30 years

if you're offended, just move along. I'm not here to cater to anyone's notions.

I'm a believer that this is not just a tyrannical country where everyone has to conform or be cast out, and taking a different tack on the winds isn't going to ruin anyone's day.

Yes, it's the day we get off work to ponder the many hundreds of thousands that served in the military since the revolutionary war, though most people have the idea it's all about WW2. Well, there you are, mass marketing really does work.

But anyway, I think it's more a day to take some time to remember what the country was supposed to be, and that was why the many died in combat to push back the armies of our foes, so the generations to come would have the freedom to live in a country that isn't run by tyrants.

That's why we told the English to fuck off, and don't come back. That's why when the Empire of Japan (how is an island, or a country of islands, an empire, I don't know) attacked Hawaii (the reasons why are mind bending) we pushed right back and ended their way of life. (No emperor god anymore, no kamikazee, no attacking to conquer other countries, sex slaves for their armies, etc)

The country was supposed to be a place where living your own way was supposed to be possible, and that, that is the definition of freedom. The Hippies, they got it. Go camping, traveling, following the Greatful Dead on tour, raising your kids without sending them to pubic school, getting a job pumping gas and drag racing on weekends, farming your family land to feed the family, hunting deer and ducks and whatever for food, trapping mink and beaver to make money from the furs, fishing for panfish for supper while hiking through Yellowstone Natl Park to see the geysers and bison. All without someone telling you you're doing it wrong.

Telling Paul Bunyan stories and making up half of it because as long as it's incredibly unbelievable you're doing it right, listening to Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson, deciding for yourself where to live based on the weather, or the gathering of a bunch of descendants of immigrants that mean that the neighborhood is a Little Italy, or China Town, or where all the Amish are, or the people all speak polish and whatever your tastes of food are, that no one else can pronounce the names of, where you'll find mom and pop restaurants that make food that tastes like grandmas.

So anyway, memorial day. Remembering that the life we have, or will make, isn't predetermined by the caste we were born into. It's been protected from that bullshit by the Americans that went to boot camp and strapped on some guns, ammo, and a helmet and kept marching from battle to battle until there weren't anymore enemy fighters.... or set out in ships, subs, or airplanes to shoot down, sink, or destroy the enemy ships, subs, and planes until they didn't send any more to fight us.

So, since some smart people decided the make sure we always get a 3 day weekend (unless you're still in the military, and 3 section duty (hang in there, it gets better, I promise)) to BBQ, hit the beach, see some cool new movies, etc etc or make a fast turnaround trip to see the folks back home before coming back to work on Tuesday.... I hope you're going to do something you enjoy, and with the freedom to tell anyone who doesn't approve - say loud and proud "land of the free, home of the brave" and then ignore them. You don't need to waste time on that negativity.

http://viralthings.tumblr.com/post/166796662235/buried-my-dad-today-he-worked-for-mississippi