Mark your calendar: POW/MIA Freedon Ride Thursday
“Summer’s here and the time is right for dancing in the streets. There’ll be swinging swaying laughing, playing…”
Freedom Rally '07
In addition, there will be some serious business going on as well. Because, as we set about enjoying summer, we can’t forget that the only reason we’re able to do so is due to the efforts and sacrifices on the part of the American soldier and his/her family. Be they past or present, whether at sea, land, or in the air, at the end of it all, it is those who serve that first attained, and now protect and defend, the freedoms we take for granted. Republican or Democrat, there is no denying that quite often during our Nation’s history we were threatened and, whether everyone agreed to the true nature of the threat and the appropriate response or not, there was the American soldier, fulfilling the assigned duty.
Whether the conscripts of days past, or the volunteers of today, we should all be thankful for their service, and, most important of all, must never forget those who did not return. To do otherwise is to dishonor their ultimate sacrifice on behalf of the rest of us. Just imagine… in a way, they died so that we might live. Who else, save for occasional random heroic acts of individuals in some situation and, of course, Christ Himself, has done this?
It is for these men and women that we must take time from swinging, swaying, and laughing. Oh, we should be in the streets, but not dancing. Oh no—it’s time to take to the streets with a clear purpose and cause: remembering those who haven’t come home. And I’m not just talking about those who died… I’m also talking about those who literally have not yet come home—those that are both prisoners of war, and missing in action. While death is hard enough, just imagine being a family member of a soldier who is lost altogether—not knowing whether their loved one is indeed passed on, or maybe out there, somewhere… alive.
It is for these people, both soldier and family, that we take to the streets this summer. For those held prisoner, or missing: known by most people as America’s POW/MIAs.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of America’s longest and oldest continuous weekly POW/MIA vigil, held every Thursday night at New Hampshire’s official memorial at Meredith’s Hesky Park. Additionally, this summer marks the 15th anniversary of the Freedom Ride. Started in 1994 by a local motorcycle club, the ride is held in conjunction with the POW/MIA Vigil as a way of bringing both attention and participation to the issue. It was modeled after “Rolling Thunder” which takes place every Memorial Day in Washington D.C.
The Freedom Ride is held every summer during Laconia Motorcycle Rally and Race Week. Bikers gather for the 11 mile journey that winds its way along the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee. The trip ends at Hesky Park in Meredith culminating in a special Thursday night Vigil. According to its organizers, the sole purpose of the ride is to “keep the promise.”
If you feel the need to take to the streets to help “keep the promise” to our soldiers that we will not rest or tire until they are brought home-- each and every one-- then you should plan on being a part of what could be one of the most important things you do this summer.
Those who plan on participating in this year’s ride by motorcycle should arrive at the Gilford Lowe’s parking lot by 6:00 pm next Thursday (June 19). The lineup will start at 6:15, with the police escort-led departure for Meredith at 6:30. Of course, the event is not just for those who ride bikes. Others are encouraged to travel via 106 North into Meredith, where there is plenty of parking. Just make sure you’re there in time to get in ahead of the motorcycles, as it will be a sight to behold when they arrive. The vigil itself starts, as it always does, at 7:00 pm sharp.
In the words of event organizer Bob Jones, this is “not a veteran issue but an American issue. Those sons and daughters we hear so much about belong to ALL of us and the Vigil and Ride are simply vehicles to gain the truth.” It is up to us to participate, and, through the strength of numbers of people banded together in common cause, demand that our government not consider any mission accomplished until each and every last soldier is accounted for. As we set out to enjoy another New Hampshire summer, it’s the very least we can do.
