HONORING HEROES Memorial Day service held Monday at Rose Hill Cemetery in Marion

MARION - Keynote speaker Mike Gunter struck an adversarial tone Monday at a Memorial Day service at Rose Hill Cemetery in Marion. He chided those citizens who failed to show up to honor the men and women who gave their lives defending America's freedoms.

The decorated Vietnam War veteran and Marine told the crowd of 85 in attendance, "As I look around here today, I see many of you that have served and it's not often enough that we tell you that we appreciate what you've done. But, I ask myself ... at ceremonies like this, why is it that the men and women that have already paid the price are the ones that are here to pay honor to our fallen? Where are the citizens that enjoy the freedoms that these men and these women fought for?"

He went on ... "They're not here today. They're at home complaining at their barbecue about how hot it is. Or if it were raining, they'd be complaining about the rain. Guess what? In the jungles of Vietnam, we complained about the heat we had to endure. How about the cold of Korea? So many of our brave men and women came home with frostbite so severe that they had to have limbs amputated. They complained, too, but they fought the battle. These kids in uniform today are the ones enduring in that desert heat. They, too, deserve our respect, at the very least for a half-hour or so on this sacred holiday."

Robert Wallace of Johnston City agreed and said he considers it a special privilege whenever he gets to participate in a funeral service for a veteran or any event honoring our nation's veterans. Like Gunter, he wishes more people would take time to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the rest of us.

Also speaking at the solemn ceremony was Marion Mayor Anthony Rinella.

"We look at sacrifice, not only to those who gave their lives, but also to the families, especially the mothers, who never got to see their children grow to adulthood. To those who have suffered that loss, our thoughts and prayers are with you."