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# In Memoriam
May 25 2026
Written by Liz Amsden.
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ACCORDING TO LIZ - Memorial Day was first observed on May 30, 1868, in honor of the Union soldiers who fell during the Civil War. Today it is a federal holiday dedicated to all American men and women who lost their lives while serving in the United States Armed Forces.
This past year we have lost so much more.
USAID.
The respect of people around the world.
Jobs of hundreds of thousands of civil servants across multiple departments who served the public, not corporate profiteering, not the billionaires.
Capabilities of the National Weather Service.
An effective EPA.
Regulations protecting the interests of rest of us.
FEMA.
The children of Camp Mystic.
First Amendment rights.
Freedom from measles.
Obamacare.
Conviction that Medicare and Social Security, as we know it, will continue.
A presidency that doesn't invite assassins to the campaign trail, to his home, to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, to the White House itself…
Confidence that those in the chain of succession are qualified to step in.
Canada as a friend.
Russia as an enemy – well... sort of.
Cheap goods from China.
Inexpensive gas.
A job force and imports sufficient to support a vibrant economy.
Affordable housing, food, and childcare.
Cryptocurrency oversight.
Barriers to prediction gambling.
A government not riddled with corruption.
A president not using his office to build his personal fortune.
An honorable military.
Those in the boats on the “American” Sea.
Credibility.
The idealism of being a nation of immigrants.
Renée Nicole Good and Alex Pretti.
Schoolgirls in Minab, Iran.
An A.I.-free life.
Consumer confidence.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Democracy
Truth.
Innocence.
The list goes on and on, and every American will have their own additions or subtractions.
Be that as it may, in the mind-set of the current denizens of the White House:
*Let Us Prey*
***(Liz Amsden** is a former Angeleno now living in Vermont and a regular CityWatch contributor. She writes on issues she’s passionate about, including social justice, government accountability, and community empowerment. Liz brings a sharp, activist voice to her commentary and continues to engage with Los Angeles civic affairs from afar. She can be reached at ****.)*
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