Ceremonies are important. But our gratitude has to be more than visits to the troops, and once-a-year Memorial Day ceremonies. We honor the dead best by treating the living well.

Granholm contrasts symbolic patriotism with substantive civic responsibility. The quote argues that public rituals—troop visits, Memorial Day observances—have value, but they become hollow if they are not matched by ongoing commitments to veterans and service members in daily life. “Treating the living well” implies concrete policies and social practices: adequate health care (including mental health), fair benefits, employment opportunities, and support for families. The line reframes remembrance as an ethical obligation in the present, suggesting that the most authentic way to honor those who died is to prevent neglect of those who returned and to build institutions worthy of their sacrifice.