Homage — “allegiance by a vassal to his lord,” Webster’s Dictionary.
According to his Aug. 6 letter, Mr. Brad Brigham believes rifles are war “workers,” so rifles merit homage as lord and master of Americans.
Brigham writes as though in jest, but his message is clear, he wants Congress to declare a national holiday dedicated as a rifle centered “day of homage” celebrating the rifles and designers of rifles used during World War II. Unpatriotically, he fails to honor the bravery of the American soldiers who were sent to die in Europe, using those rifles.
Thousands upon thousands of men, served in the American Army, landing in wave after wave, during the D-D Normandy invasion, maneuvering west across the killing fields of Europe, liberating Buchenwald Concentration Camp, but Brigham honors the rifles. Why does Brigham praise the gun manufacturers for freeing those starving prisoners, instead of honoring American soldiers?
Are Americans at war, here, now? Why are nonmilitary Americans allowed to buy military assault weapons and deadly magazine clips? In some states, people buy AR-15’s without providing an ID, but we can’t get mail at a U.S. Post Office without providing a “Valid Photo ID and a Valid Non-Photo ID,” see form PS 1093-T.
Brigham worships rifles and the manufacturers of guns because he thinks rifles were the “workers that helped save the west.” In contrast, I believe the soldiers from different countries working together with members of the United States Armed Services, and all the other people who worked together to win the war, deserve homage, not rifles.
Americans need to honor all the people who worked together to win that war. Rifles don’t die or endure lifelong injuries, but American soldiers fought and died for our freedom. Thoughtful, respectful penmen honor people: WWII military personnel, nurses, translators, ambulance drivers, doctors, communications experts, people here at home, not rifles.
We need a Normandy D-Day Memorial Foundation built for teaching younger generations from all over the world to work together to prevent another war.
Clarence Kinsmen lives in West Hatfield, Vermont.