Today, of course, marks the 75th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy in a battle which became popularly known as D-Day. Although the month long campaign resulted in the deaths of thousands of American, British and Canadian soldiers along with French civilians, it ultimately was the key turning point on the European front of WWII resulting in the defeat of Nazi Germany.
Naturally, when June 6th comes along politicians and public officials pay tribute to those who lost their lives, pay homage to those who survived and show gratitude for the freedom we have because of their bravery and sacrifice. This was perhaps best exemplified by President Reagan when he spoke on the 40th anniversary of D-Day in 1985 in what became known as "the boys of Pointe du Hoc" speech:
Forty summers have passed since the battle that you fought here. You were young the day you took these cliffs; some of you were hardly more than boys, with the deepest joys of life before you. Yet, you risked everything here. Why? Why did you do it? What impelled you to put aside the instinct for self-preservation and risk your lives to take these cliffs? What inspired all the men of the armies that met here? We look at you, and somehow we know the answer. It was faith and belief; it was loyalty and love.
The men of Normandy had faith that what they were doing was right, faith that they fought for all humanity, faith that a just God would grant them mercy on this beachhead or on the next. It was the deep knowledge -- and pray God we have not lost it -- that there is a profound, moral difference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest. You were here to liberate, not to conquer, and so you and those others did not doubt your cause. And you were right not to doubt.
You all knew that some things are worth dying for. One's country is worth dying for, and democracy is worth dying for, because it's the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man. All of you loved liberty. All of you were willing to fight tyranny, and you knew the people of your countries were behind you.
Most who survived D-Day have left this mortal coil. With the passage of time comes not only the loss of those who experienced D-Day first hand, but comes those who mark this occasion by seeking their own glory or that of false idols.
Yesterday, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said Americans should commemorate D-Day by celebrating President Trump. “We are celebrating the anniversary, 75 years of D-Day,” McDaniel said. “This is the time where we should be celebrating our president, the great achievements of America, and I don’t think the American people like the constant negativity.”
Of course, the Left is no better. Democratic presidential aspirant Beto O'Rourke recently likened climate change activists to those who stormed the beaches of Normandy. As I wrote at the time, "When climate change activists go to work they never have to wonder if they will live to see another day." Scarcely 48 hours ago, fellow Democratic presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren declared climate change was a bigger challenge than WWII. Greenhouse gasses should never be confused with the gasses deployed at Auschwitz.
As the years pass, I'm afraid the trivialization of D-Day is only going to get worse. While those who survived D-Day won't be around to hear this nonsense, I shudder to think how the legacy of D-Day will be misrepresented on its 100th anniversary in 2044.
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