Dear Editor:

Having previously gone to visit and decorate graves, and to remember the lives of those who have gone before us, my husband and I spent May 25, the eve of Memorial Day, with our daughter, Margaret, and her family. We had a wonderful day, sharing a meal, stories, game time and a cozy fire in the old fieldstone fireplace that is the center of attraction in this cottage of nearly 100 years old that we have owned since 1984. A truly joyful and memorable day.

Now, on Memorial Day, we put aside our playfulness for a more serious tone as we drive down to the center of Boothbay Harbor, to attend the annual Memorial Day Parade. The day is overcast and there is a cool breeze flowing from the bay, lending a somber mood among bystanders. However, the crowd has buttoned up their wraps and wait in high spirit for the sight of "Old Glory" to descend upon the Library Square. The local clergy is robed and ready for the blessing and children waving their flags, their eyes in wonder over the excitement of a "parade," knowing that something is different about this day they are not sure just what, but feel there is a solemnness about it.

Then suddenly, there She is, "Old Glory," carried by a member of the American Legion coming down the street, backed up by the alumni band playing traditional marching songs. I recognize many of the members having seen them in church, at sports events, at work in local establishments -- all giving of their time and talent for this special event. The parade continues and my heart swells with pride as I view members of our armed forces carrying the colors and representing those who are on distant shores protecting our right to be here and express today. Next, I see our veterans of many wars uniformed and marching tall, and my eyes begin to water as I remember my own brothers who served in world War II, the sacrifices made and the stories that are told making my "freedom" so much more precious and valued. There is a wagon being pulled with empty chairs upon it carrying the helmets of those who sacrificed the ultimate, the MIAs, how do we thank them? The parade continues on as the school band, auxiliaries, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts march with their leaders, smiling faces of youth, protected and enabled by the entourage which preceded them, do they realize the price that was paid? Have we taken the time to share the history?

The parade stops in front of the library as the minister gives the blessing, heads are bowed in reverence, flags are stilled as the Marine guard fires salute from their rifles in honor, Taps is played, the crowd is silent and another Memorial Day passes in small town America, Boothbay Harbor, Maine.

"And I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free and I wish to give thanks to all who sacrificed and gave this right to me."

Marlene Keene

Wall Point

Boothbay Harbor

- Marlene Keene

Respecting Diversity

Dear Editor:

This Memorial Day at the Boothbay Center Civil War monument, a local speaker gave the annual memoriam to the fallen heroes who have died preserving our country and treasured freedoms. Unfortunately, he made it a Christian memorial.

While I am sure the speaker did not intend to offend the founders of American democracy, I fear they would have been left bewildered by the lack of attention given to one of our most cherished rights, the right to religious freedom.

Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence and the driving force behind our Bill of Rights, took great care to keep any religious affiliations out of those documents in order to protect our collective and individual rights to believe and, yes, ... even to "not believe," in any particular religious organization.

As you know, our country was founded by those seeking freedom from religious persecution. They were fed up with the Church of England, and Jefferson and others had seen the results of the Spanish decision to include the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of favor, in their Constitution. You will not even find the word God in any of our most revered documents on which all of our freedoms are based.

Jefferson wrote: "Because religious belief, or non-belief, is such an important part of every person's life, freedom of religion affects every individual. Religious institutions that use government power in support of themselves and force their views on persons of other faiths, or no faith, undermine all our civil rights. Erecting the `wall of separation between church and state,' therefore is absolutely essential."

We all would fight for the right to speak freely, but at a national memorial we must respect the religious freedom of the Christians, Non-Christians and Non-Believers in our audience and those rights of the 258 brave soldiers and sailors at whose monument the speech was given. Those Civil War soldiers, citizens from our town, gave their lives preserving the freedoms of all Americans by defending the Union and upholding the Constitution.

Imagine a local religious leader closing a Memorial Day speech... "Let us pray, in the name of Mohammed, graced by the light of Allah"... or "Let us pray, in the name of Brahma the Creator..."

Perhaps at future Memorial Day speeches, speakers could begin a prayer by saying, "For those who wish to pray, God, please bless..." In this manner the speaker would give the Non-Believer his choice not to pray, and the Christians, Jews, Moslems, etc. the opportunity to relate to their belief in God.

The bottom line is... tolerance and respect. We must allow each of us, to find truth in our own way.

Mike McConnell

Boothbay

- Mike McConnell

Where Are We Coming From, Going To?

Dear Editor:

Man... Homemade or Factory Built - or Enhanced?

"Turn back, oh Man, forswear thy foolish ways..."

One of those memory lines which somehow jump into my brain-screen when I start writing something. It is from some hymn.

But I've just finished reading Bill McKibben's latest book, "Enough." He is a professional science writer, environmental and naturalist advocate whose previous work includes a best seller called "The Death of Nature." This new book is a battle-cry ENOUGH against the head-long exponential rush into Tomorrow -- not just any future days and nights. Rather, into the biotech, nanotech and robotic future.

My senior-citizen generation, up until now, has lived with the universal grapple, acceptance and belief about the mysteries of birth, life itself and death. Modern science, with the human genome enlightenment, sets up daily discoveries which change this life-long innocence.

Hello 2003. Hello today, May 30th. Hello Boston Globe. What's news? Oh? Some college class has just cloned a donkey-horse-jackass. It used to be one of those almost impossible fetes, 'till their smart professor used more Vitamin B12, etc. He was quoted as saying that now, even race horses can be cloned. Boy! They can sell a piece -- just a piece -- of the (possible) triple crown (gelding) winner, Funny Cide, I'm just a peripheral scientist, but maybe even a hair will do.

Where in Heaven's and Hell's name are we coming from and going to? You needn't read the whole McKibben study -- and it is very thorough with some 30 pages of a bibliography, listing all his quotes, references and research. I hope this letter might make you start wondering and worrying.

In addition to cloning, how small will computers be? Nano-small. How small is that? It is the controlling of atoms and molecules -- having them be the brain-power. You thought the new small, powerful laptops were all you'd ever need. Tomorrow's all-knowing-everywhere version will fit on the head of a pin. Naturally -- well, almost naturally, the bioboys and girls and robot makers will take this "device" and plant it into the clones -- maybe into naturally birthed babies, teenagers, retired, tired oldies.

In a few short years, the rich will be the first to tailor-make their "off-springs." Tall? Handsome? Beautiful? Great athlete? Musician? No problem. Along with the rich will be the powerful, and because we Americans are now well on the Bush Road toward some kind of Imperialism, we'll be first.

These new special, superhumans will be to the rest of humanity like the rich in India are to the Untouchables. The final chapter of his book powerfully prophesies how such changes will forever rob these "new" people of freedoms we take so much for granted -- freedom to choose, to change, to be what we ourselves decide. I apologize for not quoting the author. I mailed my copy to my son, who lives and works in the midwest. He's an administrator in an excellent school there, and I hope he'll write his own review and make his students and staff read this book, too.

R.W. Horne

- R. W. Horne