As another Memorial Day weekend arrived, something very special happened in the Wheeling area as the direct result of something not so very special. And whether or not anyone agrees with what I am about to say, freedom of speech is among the many privileges we have in America, and I hereby choose to exercise that right by offering the following opinion.

For many people Memorial Day may signal the beginning of summer with the opening of swimming pools and the opportunity for family barbecues. But of course the real meaning of the day is to honor the incredibly brave men and women who have sacrificed their lives defending America in various wars by serving in different branches of the armed forces. Their courage and dedication defies adequate description, and it certainly is apropos that we have a day set aside to honor them.

                                 ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

Although my father served in the United States Navy and was in charge of a gunnery crew on one of the destroyers that helped form the breakwater for the Normandy Invasion, I was extremely fortunate that he didn’t die there and returned home safely to live a good life. But many others were not as lucky as I was, and that’s why I felt compelled to write this.

As you may or may not know, I am the film critic for WKKX Radio in Wheeling, and as such I am on the air four times a week, once with John Blackmore, once with Bill DiFabio, and twice with Steve Novotney. On Friday, May 25, I was scheduled to be on with Steve at 5:20, but I received a call from him earlier in the day asking me whether I minded waiting until 5:30 or later because of a special thing he was going to do as the result of something not so special.

                                THE TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER

It seems that area citizens who had lost loved ones in various wars had the opportunity to honor them by submitting a picture and a brief tribute to the local newspaper. The only catch was that the charge for doing so was in excess of $40. Now I don’t know about you, but I think that is unspeakably outrageous. Wouldn’t it have been a nice gesture to offer citizens the chance to pay tribute to their deceased heroes and heroines by publishing their names a brief summary of their careers for nothing? Yes I know it costs money to publish newspapers, but I seriously doubt that printing a special tab to honor fallen service men and women would bankrupt the newspaper. Asking people to pay that kind of money to have the names of their loved ones who lost their lives defending their country far exceeds the bounds of parsimony.

Enter Steve Novotney. When Steve heard about this, he invited people to E-mail him their tributes so that he could read them all on the air. FOR FREE!! As I awaited my turn to go on the air with Steve, I listened to him read tribute after tribute, and it was a truly emotional experience. You could feel the sympathy in Steve’s voice because his son, Michael, served two tours of duty in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, and so he had some sense of empathy with those whose family members went off to fight. But like me with my father, Steve was one of the lucky ones because Michael returned home safely and unwounded.

                                    STEVE NOVOTNEY

I am certain that all those who took advantage of Steve’s offer deeply appreciate what he did, and I know all the listeners that day were incredibly moved by it.

Thanks Steve. You’re a good man and one that I am proud to call a friend.