Memorial Day

Memorial Day
Originally uploaded by lacityorgcd11.

Over Memorial Day weekend, Bill and I went to Los Angeles National Cemetery to honor the veterans who sacrificed their lives for our freedom.

Every Memorial Day, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts place small American flags on the graves of lost soldiers on the VA property. The sight is deeply moving. the rows upon rows of flags waving in the wind made me think of the great sacrifices men and women have made in the past for our present.

For the first time in decades, the sitting Governor, the Los Angeles Mayor and a local Councilman a;; attended the annual Memorial Day Ceremony. A District 11 constituent, Governor Schwarzenegger arrived at the event in a Coast Guard Helicopter, delighting the children and parents in the audience alike.

Mayor Villaraigosa and the governor both made solemn comments on the proceedings, thank ing those who sacrificed their lives for us. Bill gave a rousing speech imploring our country to keep the promises not only to those veterans who sacrificed their lives, but also those who have sacrificed their mental health.

More than 15,000 Vietnam Veterans are homeless in the United States. They defended our freedom, we owe them a home. Bill also touched on the importance of funding and supporting veterans facilities because a new generation of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are returning to the US.

-Stephanie Zarro, Assistant Planning Deputy