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Everyone loves taking the day off on Labor Day, enjoying the Pleasanton social life, firing up the grill for a backyard barbecue or taking an end-of-summer trip to the beach.
But as those of us back home are enjoying our weekend, let’s not forget our troops in Afghanistan or Iraq, especially today. They will not have the day off. They’ll be doing the same thing they do every day, defending freedom.
Let’s compare how our troops will be spending their Labor Day weekend.
While we attended religious services this weekend, listening to sermons and kneeling to pray for peace, prosperity, good health and family, in Afghanistan our troops prayed too, not in big beautiful churches, but huddled together outside their trucks ready to go out and meet the enemy. They prayed that they make it back alive and live to see the day when they can see their loved ones again.
Is there anything better than a nice Labor Day barbecue in the backyard or a picnic at the park? Many of us will hang out on the patio grilling up delicious hot dogs and hamburgers.
Our troops in the field will make due with M.R.E.s that come with a meager hot entrée, and usually a piece of bread or cracker. Luckily the packages come with salt and pepper, but even that isn’t always enough to make these MREs more than barely edible.
Don’t we all love to enjoy the outdoors? Here we are enjoying a nice hike on the Ridge and the natural beauty of this magnificent city we live in.
Our troops, meanwhile, are spending their day climbing huge mountains out in Afghanistan. In the oppressive heat of Afghanistan, our troops have to tough it out with only the supplies they can carry with them on those dangerous and long mountain climbs.
In our leisure time, isn’t it nice to kick back and enjoy the day watching the start of football season, walking downtown and visiting with our friends and family?
In Afghanistan, our troops don’t get to spend their free time watching the big game. They spend their free time cleaning their weapons and making sure their equipment is in good working order.
These photos and messages come from www.moveamericaforward.org which invites the public to send care packages through its organization. More information can be obtained at the web site or by calling (916) 441-6197.
Absolutely, let us remember the men and women of our armed forces who remain in harm’s way, serving our nation’s goals overseas.
However, let us also remember that Labor Day was established to honor the working men and women who have built this country, some of whom fought and died for worker protections, the eight-hour work day, weekends, health and safety, and a living wage to make a reasonable living with which to raise a family and buy a home.
That’s what Labor Day means to me…
Great message and reminder Jeb! Happy Labor Day!
No. Today is about honoring another often abused class, the American worker. Want to stop worrying about the troops? Bring them home, stop consigning war for profit, stop endless occupation and the political status quo that supports it. A lot more difficult, much more so than some blanket “oh won’t somebody think of the troops” coded LABOR DAY message.
Today is Labor Day, not Veterans Day or Memorial Day. Let’s remember what it is for. Its to remember the fight for a fair work place and the sacrifices that workers made, many of whom were beaten and killed by their employers.
I feel for the troops. They have been told that they are heros for going to war even though we don’t know why we are there. If you really care about the troops then ask your representatives to end the war and bring them back. In the meantime tell the government to take some of our tax dollars and help the troops out with a meal and some benefits when they get home. By the way this article is misleading as it plays on our emotions. The troops have Humvees and helicopters and they stay in protected compounds they are not out hiking all day.
Enjoy your holiday off and don’t forget the contributions of working Americans.
All Americans deserve this recognition. Keep American Working. A SALUTE TO SAUL ALINSKY and organized labor. Have a safe Labor Day America!
Thank you all for remembering what day it is today…Labor Day!
do NOT support the charity mentioned above – it has superhigh expense to giving ratios
A history of fraud and abuse
A ZERO STAR rating out of four stars. LOOK IT UP.
Give to the USO, the IAVA or any number of higher rated agencies
FOR SHAME for publishimg this without basic research
Yup, Zero out of 4 Stars for this organization. 35% of expenses are on “administration” while the best charities spend less than 5% on administration. Sure that there are better organizations for supporting troops. Shame on PW for not doing even a minimum 2-minute online search check of this charity.
Charity Navigator Rating, moveamericaforward. http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=12342#.Ve4UmsRHaK0
Amazing day to celebrate Labor Day! Hope everyone enjoyed the day and it was a safe one.
Never heard of that organization mentioned but if anyone is looking to send care packages we have our very own Pleasanton Military Families. An incredible support group to those families whose loved ones from Tri Valley are still out fighting the fight. We usually have at least 20 of our own deployed at any given time. And no Michael L they are not all tucked away in compounds. The military just lost 2 brave young men in gun battles on Aug. 26th.