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I sympathize w/ your reaction - I also find myself with a knee-jerk negativity to the pomp and grandstanding that seems to surround some events. But after reflection, I'd also agree with most of the dissenters above, so it's a complicated issue.
For me, it is more about the 'spotlight' phenomenon, where a lot of attention on one area blunts recognition of others. For example, my initial reactions:
-who is valorizing all the firefighters and police (and EMT's, CPS workers, etc. etc.) who are out there putting themselves in harms way in some no-name rural county or city. Especially the volunteer FD's - if they aren't today's real heroes I don't know who is.
-why isn't there a trailer-tour emblazoned with something like "Lets cover the first responders' medical costs" - I worry that the feelgood of the remembrance can obscure the fact that our government has been literally fighting with those responders over paying for their presumptive medical costs. Kind of hypocritical to glorify their altruistic sacrifice and then nickel and dime them over cancer care.
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