Today's Opinions

By Menla Marlowe

I have pondered for a couple of weeks as to whether I should comment on an issue close to my heart, but with the announcement of Chuck Hamilton's sudden retirement, I feel I need to speak up. 

 We’ve all heard the quote, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me."

But, as most of us have learned, words can hurt. They can hurt us deeply. They can hurt much more than a slap in the face or a punch in the gut. They can hurt our spirit. They can hurt us to our core.

For nearly 150 years now, our nation has set aside a day to remember those who paid the ultimate price to protect our freedom.

It is perhaps fitting that Memorial Day, which traces its roots to the Civil War, was itself the source of conflict for so many years. It is believed to have begun in the South, when Confederate widows decorated not only the graves of their loved ones but also those of Union soldiers, knowing their families were grieving as well.