posted on May 27, 2005 10:01:12 AM new
What does Memorial Day stand for? A day off? The start of summer? Parades and picnics? The opening of public swimming pools? You can — finally! — start wearing white shoes again?
If public opinion surveys are accurate, most Americans don’t know much about Memorial Day’s purpose or history. That’s a pity because it removes an important bond with those brave men, and women, who have given their lives in our Nation’s service.
Decorating the graves of fallen Civil War soldiers took place in several states during that catastrophic conflict. Shortly after the war, General John A. Logan, who headed an organization of Union veterans called the Grand Army of the Republic, issued a general order designating a day:
“. . . for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land.”
During the first observance of what was then termed Decoration Day, the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers in Arlington were adorned with flowers as the thousands of participants said prayers and sang hymns.
Southern states weren’t quick to embrace Decoration Day. Perhaps the people there couldn’t cotton to an observance at least partially established by Union veterans.
Certainly General Logan’s citing of “the late rebellion” had to have been a problem. Many Southerners didn’t see the confrontation as a rebellion.
They viewed it, as some still do, as the war of Northern aggression or the war for Southern independence or maybe the war between equal and sovereign states or something like that. If they, rather than the Yankees, had prevailed and written the history of the struggle, maybe that’s how we’d characterize it today.
So several Southern states set aside their own days to honor the Confederate dead. Confederate Decoration Day, for example, is still celebrated each June 3rd in Tennessee.
After World War I, the national Decoration Day became Memorial Day. The commemoration was expanded to include those who died in all U.S. wars.
This made the observance more acceptable in the South. Most states, in accordance with federal law, officially celebrate Memorial Day on the last Monday in May.
Three-day weekends are, in theory at least, OK, but I have to think that they erode a holiday’s significance. In 1968, Congress debated the wisdom of moving several public holidays to Monday.
Writer Bill Kaufmann in The American Enterprise Online quotes a Tennessee congressman at the time as saying, “If we do this, 10 years from now our schoolchildren will not know what February 22 means. They will not know or care when George Washington was born. They will know that in the middle of February they will have a three-day weekend for some reason. This will come.”
It has. And similarly Memorial Day, like other celebrations uprooted from their fixed dates, has lost much of its import for many of us fortunate enough to live in this blessed land.
That’s not the only reason, of course. Lots of folks prefer to keep suffering and death out of their thoughts as much as possible. It’s more fun concentrating on the start of summer or picnics or something else.
More than a million American fighting men and women have given, as Lincoln termed it at Gettysburg, the “last full measure of devotion” for their country. Their valor and sacrifice made possible our freedoms, our values, our very existence.
Memorial Day should be a time of solemn reflection on some of the most sacred of human ideals: Faith, family, duty, commitment, heroism, and honor. We are so profoundly indebted to all those soldiers, Marines, sailors, airmen, and guardsmen and women who have given their lives defending us.
A few years ago Congress passed the National Moment of Remembrance Act. It asked Americans to pause for one minute at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day and think about those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
It may seem like a small gesture, but it’s a way to, however briefly, keep faith with those heroes and maintain a tradition worth keeping.
posted on May 27, 2005 10:15:50 AM newmost Americans don't know much about Memorial Day's purpose or history.
Yes, just like our country's history...just touched on in our schools. So different from the history lessons we received as children - where we were taught this and so much more. Taught respect for our founders, leaders, veterans. Now the liberal agenda fills our school children's heads.
But...that's one of the things I most enjoy about living in my little town...they STILL celebrate and honor our those who have served our country. We still have a full Memorial Day Parade and lots of activities planned for the day...and most of the town participates.
Small town USA...gotta love that they LOVE their country.
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Four More Years....YES!!!
posted on May 27, 2005 10:33:29 AM new
Bear, it's not just Memorial Day, it's most holidays. Ask any child what Easter means or Christmas, or Passover, or MLK Day, or whatever. Not every child is ignorant because of liberal schooling. It has more to do with the ignorance that's passed on in the home from parents, and it's time the parents took responsibility for how uneducated their children are.
posted on May 27, 2005 11:30:43 AM new
I beg your pardon KD. You don't think they teach those children in school about holidays?
Well then you haven't been to any of their programs they put on. Christmas was banned in schools, remember the atheists, Now it is called winter break. No christmas in schools. But they do celebrate MLK day, with many activities. Schools even have programs and our technical college has a all day affair. Easter and surrounding days another atheist day. banned in school. Of course it is alright with the atheists that the bunny is there. And I agree with Linda about Memorial Day. At least this year it does fall on the original Memorial Day. Someone got ahold of holidays and decided it was more important for people to have long weekends for leisure time, so then they changed Memorial Day to a day that nobody will observe.
posted on May 27, 2005 12:06:25 PM new
Libra, calm down. I was agreeing with Linda & Bear when they said certain holidays have lost their meaning. As for your comments about atheism, you are so uninformed on the subject, your post sounds comical.
posted on May 27, 2005 12:20:26 PM new
"Of course it is alright with the atheists that the bunny is there"
eeehhhhh WHATS UP DOC????
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Baseball season has started,but they have it all wrong.3 strikes and you're out,4 balls you walk.I can tell you right now a man with 4 balls could not possibly walk
posted on May 27, 2005 05:26:35 PM new
::Well then you haven't been to any of their programs they put on. Christmas was banned in schools, remember the atheists, Now it is called winter break.::
Actually Libra - it's not because of Atheists unless of course you include Judaism and Islam in that term you love to toss around so much. Many school districts have chosen to have a single celebration as opposed to honoring one religious belief over another and thusly ostracizing children of religions that do not celebrate Christmas. As much as you enjoy blaming atheists for everything, if you want to ACCURATELY place blame you might want to consider saying "Non-Christians".
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on May 27, 2005 05:39:15 PM new
I couldn't disagree more if I wanted to , fenix.
The BIGGEST reason these changes have come about is by the atheist groups, godless groups, and the ACLU who want this stupid separation of church and state.
There's been no huge growth of the other religions in our school systems. They've always been there and their religious beliefs were also honored.
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Four More Years....YES!!!
posted on May 27, 2005 05:59:36 PM new
::They've always been there and their religious beliefs were also honored.::
10 years in public school, two states, two national regions, 6 schools. Not once do I recall a single time that Hanukkah or Ramadan was ever observed, or even mentioned, much less honored.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on May 27, 2005 08:01:42 PM new
Dbl - um...Well at the time the emphasis was on the "boarding" aspect more than the "school".
The big change was when I left. I went from a school with a total of about 60 people over 4 grades who lived, ate, studied and worked with each other 24 hours a day 7 days a week to a school with a junior class of over 300, most of which didn't know each other since it was a brand new school and the body was pulled from 4 other area schools.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on May 28, 2005 09:53:45 AM new
When I lived in Florida the meaning of Memorial Day was that it is one of the biggest sale weekends for beer in the year. Brewery's love Memorial Day. Here in Kentucky they still decorate the graves and have family get togethers for Memorial Day.
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Two men sit behind bars,one sees mud the other sees stars.
posted on May 30, 2005 06:14:55 AM new
My experience was MUCH different than your apparently, fenix.
When my two sons were in school they were mentioned and celebrated. And I was a room mother so quite aware of what happened during the holiday events in the classrooms. Long before this 'censorship' from the left about what can and can't be said or done in our classrooms.
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I wanted to mention, on this a day set aside to HONOR those brave men and women who have paid the ultimate price for their country....
a wonderful experience my son really enjoyed yesterday.
He and family came down to visit for the day and one little near-by town was having an ice-cream social - sounded quaint so thought we'd check it out. It was to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of a beautiful State park
and to thank the people who helped that happen.
Anyway what I now take for granted living here in small-town America, but had my eyes reopened through the surprised and pleasure that my son was enjoying, was that while driving from one town to another the streets were ALL lined with huge American flags....town after town. His comments brought me back to the reality that not all towns celebrate and honor our fallen soldiers in such a grand manner, but we sure do here. He was really impressed that the people and the town governments did so strongly, outwardly support our Armed Forces and their sacrafice. AND that the graves each had the little flags to point out who HAD served this country in such an honorable manner.
---
Happy Memorial Day to all. And a thanks that can NEVER repaid those who gave of themselves for the benefit of ALL. God Bless and Keep you always.
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Four More Years....YES!!!
[ edited by Linda_K on May 30, 2005 06:24 AM ]
posted on May 30, 2005 06:42:36 AM new
Memorial Day is not all about flags and parades:
Casualties in Iraq
The Human Cost of Occupation
Edited by Michael Ewens :: Contact American Military Casualties in Iraq
First number is total . Second number is in combat.
.
American Deaths
Since war began (3/19/03): 1657, 1302
Since "Mission Accomplished" (5/1/03) (the list) 1520, 1193
Since Capture of Saddam (12/13/03): 1190, 997
Since Handover (6/29/04): 791, 669
Since Election (1/31/05): 225, 196
American Wounded Official Estimated
Total Wounded: 12350, 15000 - 38000
Latest Fatality May 28th, 2005
posted on May 30, 2005 06:49:05 AM new
The day was always meant to HONOR our fallen soldiers...not use their deaths for reasons THEY, themselves didn't believe in....the anti-war left.
These soldiers who have recently given their lives are NOT having their deaths HONORED by those who OPPOSE what THEY believed in. What THEY VOLUNTEERED to do.
To actually HONOR them would be to support what they wanted to do...what they wanted to defend...to honor THEIR choice to do so.
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Four More Years....YES!!!
posted on May 30, 2005 07:47:15 AM new
When people casually chat about a little flag on a grave this stanza of a poem comes to mind.
You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
Who cheer when soldier lads march by,
Sneak home and pray you'll never know
The hell where youth and laughter go.
Or this one....
by Wilfred Owen
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of disappointed shells that dropped behind.
GAS! Gas! Quick, boys!-- An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And floundering like a man in fire or lime.--
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,--
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.
posted on May 30, 2005 07:57:24 AM new
No , linduh , your ranting is wrong.
I honor all soldiers who fight, are maimed, and die for our country....I have never said any different.
I am free to honor them,and I do.
I am free to not honor a war based on lies.
They fight and have fought for that freedom.
And for that I have thanked them and will continue to do so.
posted on May 30, 2005 08:03:44 AM new
Well helen...thank God above that George Washington didn't agree with your 'artist/poet' friends, or things would have turned out MUCH differently than they did.
And the same applies to ALL the wars the U.S. has fought in.
I couldn't be any MORE happier that you anti-war extremists NEVER could stop our country from defending itself....even though you've certainly tried.
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Four More Years....YES!!!
Crowfarm, Linda can't pat her tummy with one hand and circle her head with another. Didn't you know that? She just can't wrap her little brain around two concepts at one time. The fact that we oppose a war that is killing American sons and daughters unnecessarly while at the same time showing respect for those who died in the service of their country is beyond Linda's ability to understand.
posted on May 30, 2005 08:08:16 AM new
And in a more solemn tone....
From The Associated Press:
May 30, 10:37 AM EDT
President Will Lay Wreath at Arlington
WASHINGTON (AP) --
Official ceremonies and solemn visits will mark Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery.
The formal wreath-laying ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. EDT at the Tomb of the Unknowns. President Bush will be among those paying respects to the nation's war dead.
And the Memorial Day parade in Washington will feature one of the country's oldest veterans. Lloyd Brown was 16 years old when he signed up to fight in World War I. He's now 103, and one of an estimated 30 U.S. veterans of World War I still alive.
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Four More Years....YES!!!
posted on May 30, 2005 08:08:32 AM new
My, my, linduh is always so defensive! Could it be that she is finally developing a niggling conscience......naw, way TOO much work.........to far to go....
Rant on linduh, against people who aren't even arguing with you
posted on May 30, 2005 08:10:59 AM new
Even though I don't agree with the war in Iraq I do honor the fallen soldiers and think of them as individuals, each and every one of them and they tried to do the best job they were sent to do.
Thankfully I'm not like some who coldly compare them to traffic accidents, say that sh!t happens, it's a low kill rate, or laugh insanely through topics discussing the number of killed and injured or the empty boots on display or go into a rant each time this link is posted that shows their names, ages, pics, hometown, etc.
Whether anyone agrees or not with this Iraqi war, may each and every one of these men and women be remembered by all.
posted on May 30, 2005 08:12:41 AM new
Helen! Nice Poem There! (And something different than Flanders Field one posted over for years?)
I am sorry to the vets -
It cant get itsy mind into serious yet -
.. But I am sure when I will,
thats when the clouds coming rolling back - n sprinkle o'heavens tears happens for them, it will spill.
May the memory of all who died or suffered, never be in vain, or forgotten to the Motherland!
.. Jacksweb, if you are reading this, you have survived with honor. Blessed be your spirit and soul. (and means that sincerely you know...)
posted on May 30, 2005 08:20:50 AM new
Ya but, Helen, you have to admit she's quick on her feet(or keyboard) .....look at her "solemn" post...kinda changing speeds with a blurb about what ALL presidents do on Memorial Day even when his lies caused many of the deaths.
posted on May 30, 2005 08:24:05 AM new at kiara, once again.
What you take as my 'coldness' isn't that at all. Again it's YOUR twisted way of how YOU took what I said.
I just try to bring you back to the realities of your constant over-exaggerations and into the realities of life/war. That appears to bother you for some reason....too bad.
That's why I laugh so often at your anti-war agenda and statements....because you don't appear to have ANY ability to put things into perspective.
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Four More Years....YES!!!
She just can't wrap her little brain around two concepts at one time. The fact that we oppose a war that is killing American sons and daughters unnecessarly while at the same time showing respect for those who died in the service of their country is beyond Linda's ability to understand.
at kiara, once again.