In response to the letter, “Choose life, not war” (BDN, April 30); Memorial Day is a tribute to the freedoms granted to us by those who fought rather than a celebration of blind patriotism. With our nation at war and the events of the past year, this is a time for remembrance, not condemnation.

Ignorance toward the purpose of the Memorial Day parade is not an excuse to withhold our youth from honoring those who gave their life for the liberties we have through parades and celebrations. The freedom of speech so granted to us gives [historian and author] Howard Zinn his rights to criticize the government. What Zinn often fails to realize is that these rights are protected through the very wars that he criticizes. Not all wars are just and certainly no war is pleasant, but the recent attacks on our country leave us no choice but to react in order to preserve

Richard Collenburg

Eddington