Patriotic Holidays come in many forms

Americans celebrate many patriotic holidays, such as today, Independence Day. And Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Presidents Day, Flag Day and, in Rhode Island only, V-J Day.

We mark the great battles and wars we have fought, remember and honor those who fought in them and tip our hats to those who are fighting all of our present wars.

We’re not alone in marking the anniversaries of conflicts past.

When Cathy and I worked in Washington at jobs where we racked up lots of frequent flier miles, we frequently travelled to foreign destinations. We loved all that travel and saw a good part of the world. But we went to Europe, more often than not, and especially loved Italy. Here’s one reason why –

In April 1994, we were in Florence, one of my favorite cities in the world. We were out walking in the direction of the train station to try to catch the street market in the shadow of the Church of Santa Maria Novella.

We heard band music and could see people on the street moving toward it. So we followed them.

We came out in the Piazza dell’ Unita Italiana where the crowd had gathered in front of a platform. The brass band was belting out lively Italian martial music.

In short order, platoons of various troops entered the square – regular army, Navy, federal police, special operations forces and, doing a prancing-like quick step, elite Mountain troops. A group of bemedalled and red-jacketed old veterans were ushered in and led to a place of honor.

There were prayers, speeches, more band music, the ritual laying of a wreath and the honor guard fired off a salute.

This was Liberation Day. Every April 25^th, Italy celebrates the day the government of Benito Mussolini fell and the country surrendered to the Allies. This is also the day of honor and commemoration for the Italian anti-fascist partisans.

I loved Italy and Italians before April 25, 1994, but that day sealed it for me. Here was a country that made a national holiday out of their decision to get out of a terrible war where they were clearly on the wrong side. Plus, they were getting their asses kicked.

And as icing on the cake, they honor the anti-fascist partisans – mostly leftists (communists, socialists and social democrats) – who helped to make that happen.

A year later, in December 1995, Cathy and I travelled down from Geneva into the south of France on our way to the Italian Riviera and stopped in Monaco. I thought of this trip last week during all the peculiar hoopla surrounding the wedding of Prince Albert and former Olympic medalist Charlene Wittstock.

Now Monaco is another place where they know how to do military stuff right. We read a notice that we had luckily arrived on a day when there was to be a formal Changing of the Guard ceremony at the Grimaldi Palace.

Having seen the extraordinary pomp and precision of the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace in London, we just had to see Monaco’s version and draw our own comparisons.

It was definitely not London. We arrived outside Grimaldi palace and joined the throng of about a dozen tourists to see the Royal Monaco Army put on its display.

Some guys wearing spats, ill-fitting uniforms and blue plastic helmets went through the motions with their US surplus rifles for a few minutes before falling out to light up cigarettes and crack out some beers.

It seemed pretty clear to me that these guys were not prepared to make a stand against any invading horde. To me, they looked more like croupiers at one of the casinos. I could more easily picture them dealing a hand of Baccarat to James Bond than fighting off Soviet tanks.

And I took comfort in that.

We have fought many wars. A few were necessary and just. Many were not. Many people died. Many more were ruined for life. Lands were laid waste. Treasure was squandered. Maybe when we celebrate our patriotic holidays, we should give some thought to how we prevent the future tragedies that all wars represent. It is not enough to simply glorify the honored dead, but to prevent countless others from joining them.