Fitting Memorials

To the Editor:

Some of our area towns and faith communities recently celebrated the glorious symbol of our flag in an extraordinary manner. A few thousand flags neatly spaced across lawns offered a sea of red, white and blue, gently moving in sync through a slightly whispering breeze.

During the course of the weeklong activities focusing on 9/11, and again, centering much on what our flag stands for, we were offered an opportunity to grieve and to express our thanks, if only in a prayer.

These celebrations were tasteful and fitting tributes to the people who were, tragically, killed, their loved ones and all who were, thankfully, saved. Many heroes came to the fore that day, in New York City, Washington, D.C., and over a little place called Shanksville, Penn.

Though often difficult to watch over the television, the mostly surreal-like scenes provided viewers an occasion of good grief. Both psychologists and spirit-centered people would concur with this sentiment.

One need not be a follower of Charles Schultz’s main man, Charley Brown, to appreciate the concept of “Good Grief!” This is not an oxymoron but a means of getting through (and not covering up) our inner pain and suffering.

Another place that offered those of us who live in Newtown an occasion of working through our grief was the front lawn of St Rose Church. The flags we witnessed, here, were small blue flags and they symbolized the tragic deaths of unborn children whose lives were snuffed out, not by a foreign enemy, but rather with the approval of their closest kin. The flags represented the thousands of children (yes, children — for any other label would be a mere euphemism) who are tragically put to death, each day, in these same United States. Some have recently written letters to The Bee, castigating those responsible for setting up this display, worried that their small children might be emotionally scarred by their being exposed to such. I am shocked by this response. Each child should be exposed to such, accompanied by a parent’s honest explanation that unlike these children, he/she has been given a chance — a opportunity to explore the world of God’s creation; a chance to search out cures for cancer, MS, TB or Alzheimer’s disease; an opportunity to help bring some relief to their brothers and sisters in Somalia, Haiti, and even here in the United States, where we always need people of integrity on all levels of government and civilian service.

The flags are most tasteful and appropriate! I call on every faith community to come to the fore and begin to publicly demonstrate that every created being has a right to life. Some of our local citizens can be very grateful that I wasn’t involved in the decision to establish this fitting memorial. My choice would have been to place a picture of every living child, recently born in the local area, next to each flag — representing the millions of kids who were never given the chance.  Thank you, Moms for gifting your kids!

 Reverend Leo McIlrath, DMin

Corpus Christi Community

13 Sugarloaf Road, Sandy Hook                                                                     September 19, 2011