It is difficult to see from the subway platform of the M Line at Forest, yet if you look down it’s there. A flag pole with an American flag that looks as old as the subway platform itself, tattered and torn, stands watch over the memorial marker of Private First Class Richard Gilley who was killed in Vietnam. Perhaps I’m a bit partial, but it seems as though for the most part the people of today have little respect for the freedoms they enjoy and take for granted. The only thing which has kept this memorial somewhat clean is the 12 foot razor wire topped fence surrounding it. One could easily see that people waiting on the platform for the train have decided to use this little area as a trash depository. Hence, the close up of my photograph. I thought the least I could do was zoom in on the Private and zoom out the trash. It’s everywhere. A dumping ground of filth and disrespect. And I think I discovered something important in the process – people seem to only respect the memorials of those whom they know. Like in life, it’s easy to disrespect others. A man, barely in his twenties, died for the freedoms of those who now, disrespect him.