Veterans Memorial Day Ceremony
at City Hall
11/11/15
It is a crisp autumn morning for
this year's celebration of Veterans Day in East Orange. There
will be no band or choir today, but there is a keyboard player
hiding behind the memorial stone, who will play a variety of
hymns while the veterans assemble out front. For taps, he will
press a button and play a pre-recorded version while he conducts
the air with his hand. I'm sure no one notices this (or cares)
but me.
Instead of having the veterans
march in to take their seats, they will already be in place when
the color guard marches in with the wreath.
While everyone recites the Pledge
of Allegiance to the Flag, I recite my own Pledge of Allegiance
to the Constitution. Then the computerized "Taps" is
played, the invocational prayer is recited, and the speeches
begin.
That is usuallly my cue to
depart, so I leave the office sitters and office seekers to their
self-congratulatory praises and count myself lucky to have lived
through yet another year.
On my way back home, I saw the
campaign litter of Shiela Oliver still in the "municipal right of way" at the corner of Evergreen Place and Parkway Drive
East. Come and pick up your trash, Shiela. It's been 8 days since
the election!
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