1) "Residents old and young remembered the sacarafice of previous generations at the town's annual Memorial Day parade and rememberance ceremony."???
What is a "sacarafice"?
2) What exactly is the fireman's memorial?
3) Perhaps fireperson's memorial would be the politically correct term?

Our we celebrating Firefighters or Veterans or What exactly is going on?

God Bless the USA

Justice, The Firemans Memorial is just that.The Veterans Memorial is in Veterans Park on Mt. View Blvd.by the entrance ramp to Rt 23 North.They don't hold the parade like they did back in the day on Mt. View Blvd,where they did have a memorial service after the parade (VFW POST IS NEXT TO MEMORIAL) Grandstand is in front of town hall with all our EX-BOE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR

Nose, Now that makes total sense to honor veteran's at a fire person's memorial. I find it disgustingly disrespectful to all my brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters and friends who gave up their lives so that people can have their freedoms. I also find it disrespectful to all those who served and have not died, but continue to suffer from service-related problems, as well as those who have served. Of course, what can we expect from a town that had a dead World War II Veteran in his home for over a year while they mowed his lawn (with an exorbitant charge-back of course) because of whiny, complaining neighbors????

Can't make this stuff up!! So sad.

I was sad to see the terribly low turnout at the parade yesterday. Seems to be getting lower each year. Was able to park in the municipal lot within 10 minutes of the 11 a.m. start time. Shame that there is so little respect for the people who gave their lives in defense of this nation. I am always impressed with the amount of dedicated individuals who provide the town with life-saving fire and ambulance services. We have quite an armada of fire trucks, ambulances and special vehicles to handle just about any kind of emergency response. Hats off to the volunteers who give so selflessly. Thank you for your service.

I counted about 9 veterans in the parade. Looks like the WWII generation has finally perished. I'm confused about your complaints, Nose and Justice. The town center is where the parade finishes, and for whatever his shortcomings, the mayor does a respectful and appropriate ceremony for the veterans at the conclusion of each parade. I watched the last two and maybe 50 people stayed long enough to listen. Perhaps the speech would have more resonance given during the parade from a float or something, but the point is that soldiers are being honored at a central location in town on the day set aside in their honor. Really, it's hard to find something to complain about there. Perhaps you should be appalled with all of your brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, cousins and whoever else who couldn't take 1.5 hours out of their day yesterday to honor the soldiers, take pride in their town and cheer for those who provide the essential services we take for granted. I once went to a Memorial Day parade in a Nebraska town about 1/3 the size of Wayne. That was quite an experience. I still remember the turnout for our parade being so high that you couldn't get within 15 feet of the curb if you weren't there an hour early. Now, there are front row seats even AFTER the event begins. Nice job, Wayne residents.

Perhaps you should be appalled at a mayor who issues a gag order, which is contrary to the constitution and to what we have fought and died for. Are you or anyone related to you a veteran? You have no right to judge the reasons why MY fellow vets decide not to go to a "memorial day" fiasco which ends at a fire person's memorial with a speech given by a person who was nearly indicted in the mid 80's, coming back to town belonging to a different party and issuing gag orders. If the location of the parade required to be changed, then the memorial also should have been moved. Period. This is an insult of the highest along with the refusal to to lower the flags and a dead World War II Veteran in a home that was sold out from under him for the cost of an unpaid water bill.

As a Vietnam Veteran I side with Justice on this one. I did not attend firstly because I do not do parades. The day is far too solemn for me to walk about marching to marshal music. Is that a problem? Yesterday I had the very high and historic honor of witnessing President Obama and Vice President Biden present themselves at The Wall.

President Obama spoke of the indiginty heaped upon veterans of my generation, that continues to this very day in places like the comment section here at Patch. He also spoke of the determination to not see such disrespect laid upon subsequent generations of veterans.

As he spoke, Mrs Obama and Mrs Dr Biden stood as living witness to this administrations efforts on behalf of veterans and their families in their activism and advocacy. As Joe Biden remains the stalwart veterans champion.

These are the deeds and the words that I most depend upon echoed at a rightful, respectful place, and time, by those deserving of the honor. Is the firemans memorial that place are these elercted persons desrving enough? You decide for yourtself.

Stew, Thank you for your service to this country. Thanks to your family for the sacrifices they made due to your service to this country. God Bless You.

Stewart, The parade should continue down Valley Road to French Hill Road. Then proceed to Parish Drive to the end, and end up in the true VETERANS PARK.The ONLY TRUE VETERANS PARK.A special service BY VETERANS is the rightful and respectful place. BY VETERANS,FOR VETERANS!! NOT POLITICIANS!!!

Stewart, Just in case yesterday nobody THANKED YOU ? THANK YOU!! Lost a friend in that horrible war.

Why did the VFW Post agree to this?

Bill, Maybe PATCH should have a poll. Should the parade continue down Valley Road and end up at VETERANS PARK next to the VFW HALL? Should be interesting!

Ok, so maybe there is a debate about the appropriate parade route, which already is too long. But in a town without a central shopping district, the municipal complex is the closest thing to a town center that we have and the parade has been held in this location at least in my lifetime. Extending the parade another 4 miles or so? Impossible. My quarrel is not with the veterans who elect not to attend, but with the town residents who can't take time out to honor the veterans who DO march.

I can understand the emotions regarding the memorial, but you've probably made a better case for moving the veterans' memorial to a central location in town than for moving the parade or extending it. At the end of the day, Justice's criticisms of the mayor are invalid insofar as Memorial Day goes, even if they have some bearing on his performance as mayor. I attended the memorial service after the parade for each of the last two years, and felt it a fitting tribute to our veterans and fallen soldiers. It's not a day for politics, so in this case Justice has things confused. The important thing is that the veterans are honored, not necessarily that the speech honoring them take place at the VFW memorial. If that is the line of thinking, why not just insist it take place at a military cemetary, or that the military cemetary be moved to Wayne?

At the end of the day, the citizenry of Wayne is falling short of its moral obligation to honor the soldiers at a time-honored tradition of our Memorial Day parade. Another sign of the slow deterioration of this town. I'm starting to come to the conclusion that, based on many items discussed on Patch, the town now attracts a lower quality of citizen than it used to. Maybe it's just the entire society that has changed that much.

Wayne,LOOK around town.ENGLISH is the SIXTH LANGUAGE!!