Submitted by:
Dr. Albert Celoza
Faculty and Chair, Phoenix College Liberal Arts
2001 Arizona Professor of the Year (Carnegie Foundation and Council for the Advancement and Support of Education)

As we lay to rest President Ronald Reagan we remember his legacy to our world today; we also recall his dedication and service to the nation. Twenty years ago he so eloquently paid tribute to the memory of the heroes of Normandy, who in June 1944, launched the liberation of Europe. Of the thousands who died on the beaches of Normandy, the late president said, “We will always remember. We will always be proud. We will always be prepared so we may always be free.”

My meditative journey to sacred places brought me to Normandy during the eve of the 60th anniversary of the great battle. How could the sacrifice of a thousand lives not make this place holy I asked? In the American cemetery, thousands of white crosses were a sight to behold. This is a memorial for 9,387 who fell heroically during the invasion. Each cross and Star of David is marked with the name, years of birth and death, and state. The unknown soldier’s burial is marked, “Here rests in Honored Glory a Comrade in Arms Known But to God.” They were not averse to the use of religious language and symbols then. It is was quite a touching experience to feel the cross, which is one of the most expressive symbols of self sacrifice and a gift of one’s own life. On one end of the cemetery is a colonnade memorial holding the battle maps of the fateful days of June 1944 and a bronze statue fittingly titled, “The Sprit of American Youth Rising from the Waves.” For me the sculpture depicts young people’s strength and offering oneself in the service to democracy and freedom. On the other end of the complex is a small chapel with an inscription: I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish.

It is not only this cemetery at Colleville-Sur-Mer (by “Omaha Beaches”) that is the focus of reverence. British, Canadians, Polish, and the Germans have their own cemeteries in this northwestern coast of France. There are also monuments, museums and markers in various beach areas; flowers, religious statues and letters of remembrances may be found placed in honor of the soldiers. At Pointe du Hoc where President Reagan delivered the speech for the 40th anniversary, one can still see deep bomb craters and twisted steel reinforcement of bunkers. Though the field is now covered with green grass, the remnants of war are still there to remind one of the dramatic debacle that occurred there sixty years ago. The physical remains of war however are not the only legacies of the past. It is the ideals for which the sacrifices were made that made these sacred grounds more significant. President Reagan then said, “Today in their memory and for all who fought here, we celebrate the triumph of democracy.”

Secretary of State Colin Powell in an essay, “Of memory and our democracy,” wrote that memorials “can teach us about the values that sustain us in times of trial.” His words affirmed the purpose of my journey, a pilgrimage to a place filled with remembrances of history. As I was descending the stairs to catch my train during the first part of my journey, I stopped and saw a marker, “To the memory of the French who had fallen here August 19 – 24, 1944.” It was awesome that at a train station one could stop and remember those who had perished valiantly. As a student at Worcester College at Oxford University, I marveled at the most simple yet poignant memorials I have ever seen. This memorial is in the garden where I spent afternoons reading and writing. It is dedicated not to a noted celebrity but to the gardener of the college. I felt that the mundane papers I wrote on development and economic integration were inspired by the handiwork of this great gardener.

Yes, in death, one understands life better. We also find meaning in death and continue to be reminded when we honor the known and the unknown, the popular, and the common man. I proceeded in my journey to visit the last resting places of notables like Vincent van Gogh, Frederic Chopin, Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf, Jim Morrison, and many whom I have not heard of nor will I ever know. In the Memorial de la Deportation, two hundred thousand French victims of Nazi concentration camps are honored. “Forgive but do not forget,” is a fitting reminder inscribed in this memorial.

We say goodbye to all of them and now to Ronald Reagan. I hope that we will learn to remember and to forgive but not to forget. I also hope that as we honor the heroes of wars, we would also give tribute to the workers for peace. This should take us to a journey back to the past and help us tread the path towards the future.

President Ronald Reagan passed away last Saturday, June 5, 2004 on the eve of the 60th anniversary of D-Day.