For too many Americans, Memorial Day has become a day for barbecuing and beach trips - a day to shop for mattresses and appliances. This year, our commitment to staying safer at home gives us an opportunity to focus on the real purpose of Memorial Day: to remember and to honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country so that all of us, and others throughout the world, might live in freedom.Through their sacrifice they remind us of the extraordinary potential of ordinary Americans. They remind us of the principles for which our country stands, and they remind us of the courage and commitment necessary to maintain those principles. They remind us of both the blessings we enjoy, and the cost we must bear, as citizens of the last best hope of earth.
As we grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, we can draw inspiration from the countless examples of America overcoming immense challenges throughout our history. In every case, ordinary Americans joined together and made personal sacrifices to support one another and pursue the interests of the country in times of crisis. No example of that spirit is more worthy of our remembrance than the ultimate sacrifice made by so many men and women of our Armed Forces in service to our country.
The Boy Scouts of America is inviting all Angelenos to participate in a virtual remembrance ceremony for our fallen heroes. It involves the simple act of joining in unison at 3:00 pm to face an American flag with solemnity and play, sing, hum or listen to Taps, and leaving an online message of remembrance for one who has sacrificed (for more information, please visit bsa-la.org/memorial-day). I hope you'll take a moment to join the Scouts in this simple gesture of appreciation to those who have given us so much at such great cost.