Longtime readers of this blog know that Memorial Day is special around here. Memorial Day, of course, is the day established by General John A. Logan, Commander in Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, when we pause to remember, and honor, those who gave, as Abraham Lincoln so eloquently expressed it, the last full measure of devotion for their country. In this vein, not too long ago, the podcast 99% Invisible did a fascinating report on the history of, and the men who guard, the Tomb of the Unknown Solider at Arlington National Cemetery.  It is, in my humble opinion, very much worth a listen if you have some time this weekend.

But Memorial Day is plainly different this year. As we know all too well, almost 100,000 of our fellow citizens have died from an enemy that is silent and invisible to the naked eye, the Coronavirus. Many people who work in the franchise industry have been on the front lines, serving our country in delivering essential services. We thank them, along with all of the healthcare workers, EMS, police and fire first responders, meat packing plant employees, and others who have worked throughout in the face of the pandemic. We also feel deeply for the many systems, franchisors, franchisees, and employees of both facing the depths of the economic recession the pandemic has wrought. You have our thoughts and prayers.

So, before you head to socially distanced events this holiday weekend, I kindly ask that you join me–and Fox Rothschild–in pausing to remember those who have, in the past and now, truly given the last full measure of devotion to our Nation. As General General Patton wisely noted, “It is foolish and wrong to mourn [those] who died. Rather, let us thank God that such [people] lived.”