By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
Irma Garcia and Eva Mireles, teachers who were killed in the line of duty protecting their students at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, and Arron Salter Jr, a security guard who was killed while defending shoppers in Buffalo, are heroes who gave their lives defending this nation.
Memorial Day is a time to honor the many who have died in defending our nation. The history of Memorial Day dates to the Civil War era. It was a gruesome war on American soil that put father against son and brother against brother.
It is estimated that the American Civil War took the lives of between 620,000 to 750,000 Americans. These young men fought for their nation and fought against their nation.
Those soldiers who were alive and returned home from fighting in the Civil War often arrived with disabling conditions. Many had lost limbs, eyes had been lost, some could no longer hear. The young men who were in full physical health had lost their innocence.
The first American documentation of war fatigue, which has evolved to be treated as PTSD, was noted in the returning young soldiers whose smiles and hopes had been wiped away as they lived with nightmares from the barbarous experiences of the Civil War.
In honor of those soldiers who lost so much, what was first called Decoration Day, was celebrated across the war-torn regions. Local gatherings with flowers laid at the graves of the fallen soldiers took place in communities as the nation mourned the loss of so many young lives.
Today society continues the tradition of honoring those men and women who gave their lives to defend our nation with formal ceremonies and less formal ceremonies.
Civic leaders place wreaths at the graveyards of our war heroes. Families tend to the graves of their loved ones who served our nation, placing flags and flowers to commemorate their loss. In some communities, veteran’s groups will place an American flag at the grave of every fallen soldier in a cemetery.
Honoring our fallen soldiers is the primary reason we celebrate with a three-day weekend in late May every year. It is essential that we take time to remember and show respect to those who sacrificed their lives in defense of our nation.
Memorial Day weekend has also grown to be the gateway to summertime. Most educational institutions have finished their school year. Spring is nearly over, and people are looking forward to the long, carefree days of summer.
As we go into Memorial Day weekend, we at The Post Newspaper had hoped to share the great relaxing joys of Galveston County and usher in summer with celebration along with paying respect to the many who have given their lives defending our nation.
But this month has turned into a bloody bath of human loss, and we cannot pretend it hasn’t happened. Though we as a staff focus on the positive, our hearts and souls were crushed on May 14 as we watched in horror the senseless loss of human lives in our great nation. Then on this past Tuesday afternoon, our hearts were ripped apart and pounding with fear and anguish as we waited in anticipation for families to learn if their child was alive or dead.
Nineteen children and two teachers whose lives were taken by a lone gunman in Uvalde have cast a heavy shadow of grief, hopelessness and sorrow over the entire nation and especially for us in Texas.
There are no positive cheerful expressions of hope to offer those who mourn their losses in Uvalde. We cannot bring the dead back to life with our thoughts and prayers, but we can collectively offer honor and prayer for the families and the community in their despairing hours as they seek comfort.
“We ask our Heavenly Father to send his loving hand of comfort to those families whose little angels are gone. We ask that the families and students of the two teachers who were shot shielding their students will be comforted. We ask God Almighty to heal the town of Uvalde. Heal the children, staff, and families of Robb Elementary School.”
In memory of those lost in Uvalde:
Nevaeh Bravo, 10, Jacklyn Cazares, 9, Makenna Lee Elrod, 10, Jose Flores, 10, Ellie Garcia, 9, Uziyah Garcia, 10, Amerie Jo Garza, 10, Jayce Luevanos, 10, Tess Mata, 10, Miranda Mathis, 11, Xavier Lopez, 10, Alithia Ramirez, 10, Annabell Rodriguez, 10, Maite Rodriguez, 10, Alexandria “Lexi” Rubio, 10, Layla Salazar, 10, Jailah Nicole Silguero, 10, Eliahana Cruz Torres, 10 and Rojelio Torres, 10.
Teachers
Eva Mireles 44
Irma Garcia 48—
Ten people were killed in Buffalo on May 14 because of the color of the skin God gave them. There is no option for bringing them back to life, either. But we also honor them this Memorial Day weekend as citizens of this great nation whose lives were taken without provocation by an individual who harbored anger and hatred.
“We pray the families of the victims in Buffalo will be comforted. We ask our heavenly Father to put his hand over the community of Buffalo and bring the entire community comfort and healing.
We further ask our Heavenly Father to bring the almighty spirit of peace and love to the people of America. Calm the hatred, calm the angry, soothe the anxious!”
Buffalo Victims
Aaron Salter, 55—-Security Guard, Roberta A. Drury, 32, Margus D. Morrison, 52, Andre Mackniel, 53, Geraldine Talley, 62, Celestine Chaney, 65, Heyward Patterson, 67, Katherine Massey, 72, Pearl Young, 77, Ruth Whitfield, 86
There is no one answer to curb the rash of mass murders.
The problem belongs to we the people; we must own the problem and collectively bring a will of peace to our nation. We must sit and be with each other. We must listen with open hearts and minds to others. We must extend love and care to all people of this great nation.
A familiar Civil War song, “When Johnny comes Marching Home,” was written as a plea for our Civil War soldiers to come home, to be with their families, enjoy their young lives, smell the flowers, drink, sleep in their own home in their own bed, grow to be old men and enjoy all that life affords a person.
May the music makers of today write melodic music exhaling human life and joy. May they create pieces encouraging love for all, may they share with their communities their talents as makers of joy to aid in our collective effort to end mass murders in America.
May our writers of literary work inspire us with poetry and books that uplift the lives of the people of America.
May the painters bring out their easels and brushes showering our nation with images of love, joy, and hope. May the sculptures mold work that holds our hearts and minds to a standard of purpose in loving and accepting each other.
May those whose talent is in video media begin to bring to our vision the dignity of human life. May they create work that inspires our hearts and souls. May they help us sense our individual value and the value that each of our fellow humans hold.
May we the people assume our responsibility for the violence in our nation. May we each find our path to sharing light and love with others. May we collectively bring about the will to reside in a more peaceful nation.
