As I prepare to do what I have been doing for the last 50 plus years, which this Memorial Day weekend includes flagging veterans’ graves, assisting the Auburn VFW with their annual poppy drive, and assisting with the services at the Gracelawn Memorial Park, which is the official Memorial Day as established by Congress.

Oops, what’s missing? Oh, yes, marching on Memorial Day.

I have always said, “If veterans don’t do it, who will?” Unfortunately this year the local veterans groups are holding their celebration, with parade and all, on Saturday, May 29.

The first thought I had was they were doing something for the World War II Memorial, which is being dedicated in Washington, D.C. A noble undertaking, long overdue, but is it more important than the one day set aside to honor all wars and those who paid the ultimate price?

I asked why this came about, and I was told it was because the parade couldn’t get the high school bands on any other day.

This is not a valid reason for not having a parade on Memorial Day. Have we lost another fight?

We lost when some decided it was more important to have a long weekend, we lost the fight to hold a parade on Veterans Day, although I understood that the move to an inside program was because of the lack of spectators, and now we’ve lost Memorial Day?

As I’ve said before, “If veterans don’t do it, who will?”

Donald W. Linscott Jr., Auburn