Remembering Memorial Day

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The above cartoon describes the state of this holiday pretty damn good. While many of us take the time to remember the sacrifices of our heroes many others ignore it and party hard due to the 3 day weekend. We must remind those people that this day was proclaimed a day to remember. Remembering those who have fallen and those who are still serving:

click pictures to view videos



Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.

The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war).

It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 – 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.

In 1915, inspired by the poem, In Flanders Fields, Moina Michael replied with her own poem:

We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.

She then conceived of an idea to wear red poppies on Memorial day in honor of those who died serving the nation during war. She was the first to wear one, and sold poppies to her friends and co-workers with the money going to benefit servicemen in need.

Later a Madam Guerin from France was visiting the United States and learned of this new custom started by Ms.Michael and when she returned to France, made artificial red poppies to raise money for war orphaned children and widowed women. This tradition spread to other countries. In 1921, the Franco-American Children's League sold poppies nationally to benefit war orphans of France and Belgium. The League disbanded a year later and Madam Guerin approached the VFW for help. Shortly before Memorial Day in 1922 the VFW became the first veterans' organization to nationally sell poppies. Two years later their “Buddy” Poppy program was selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans. In 1948 the US Post Office honored Ms Michael for her role in founding the National Poppy movement by issuing a red 3 cent postage stamp with her likeness on it.

Traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.

Most people blame the fact that Congress decided in 1971 to change the day to the last Monday of the month so we all could get a 3 day weekend. There has been multiple bills in Congress by Sen. Daniel Inouye [D-HI] that would restore it back to May 30th, with this one being the latest. Of course no action has been taken on them.

Until then it's up to each and every one of us to remind people what this day stands for.

For those who served our country and gave all.

Korea:

In Afghanistan

In battlefields from Normandy, Antietam, Gettysburg, Trenton, Iwo Jima, Midway, Khe Sahn, Fallujah, Baghdad and thousands of other battlefields over the past 200 plus years.

Remember those who gave all. And remember those who are still serving with honor

This Memorial Day please take two minutes out of your day at 3pm local time for a National Moment of Remembrance.

Reflect on those who have died to protect our way of life and those who are still serving

Finally, a short video on the true meaning of Memorial Day:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK0T4pVHP28[/youtube]

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Curt,

As the Marines say,”America’s at the mall, the Marines are at war.”

Let’s be frank about this one thing: Bush should have declared war in September of ’01 and called up the draft. Total war was demanded, yet he wanted to appease the bankers and Wall Street and attempt to have his cake and eat it too-a good economy.

Epic fail on that respect.

So don’t be surprised by the fact most Americans are out to lunch on the entire concept of Memorial Day and being a good citizen.

@Ivan:

I got out of the Navy in August of 99′, after having served over 10 years. Most of that time I lived within base housing, and all of it within military towns and cities. I moved to north of Chicago after my time in was done. The difference between how those military towns and cities honored Memorial Day, and how the surrounding areas of Chicago did so, was as different as night and day. And this was prior to 9/11.

I notice the same now, where I live in Indiana. People who have never served, and most likely know very few who have, are not as likely to see this holiday as anything other than a chance for a good 3-day weekend of partying. Not I. Not ever.

Ivan: The draft will never return for two reasons. First – I don’t want you watching my back if you don’t want to be there. We have learned that a professional all-volunteer force is the most committed force. Secondly Congress would be forced to take one of two positions. Either women are not inherently equal to men and therefore are exempt from the draft or they are inherently equal and therefore must also register for the draft.

I challenge you to name one member of Congress who would take either position. If you believe there does exist such political courage, please explain to me why conscripts could achieve the same objectives as professional volunteers. Wars today are not the wars of previous generations. Never again will hundreds of thousands of soldiers charge across fields to capture cities or take trenches. War has changed.

“Gentlemen may cry, “Peace, peace!” but there is no peace. The war is actually begun. The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms. Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand here idle? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almightly God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

Those words were spoken by Patrick Henry 236 years ago. Have their meaning changed? Are we not now facing an enemy who would subject us to chains and slavery? Shall I remind you why men fight?

“The mninistry may rely on it that Americans will never be taxed without their own consent; that the cause of Boston, the despotic measures in respect to it, I mean – now is and ever will be considered as the cause of America and we will not suffer ourselves to be sacrified by piecemeal, though God only knows what is to become of us, while those from whom we hae a right to seek protection are endeavoring by every piece of art and despotism to fix the shackles of slavery upon us.”

George Washinton, 1775

Have we come so far from those days over two centuries ago? Have we become so lazy, so apathetic, so eager for those things which we cannot take with us to our graves that we are willing to trade security for freedom? Have we bred out of our children the desire to live as free men, willing to give their very souls for the crumbs a despotic government is willing to throw our way?

No, for brave men are willing to stand the wall whilst we sleep. They are the best of us. They are our history and our legacy. They are the men of Lexington, Gettysburg, Normandy and Baghdad who understand that good men shall never stand idly by and do nothing in the face of evil. They should not, shall not, ever be forgotten.

@johngalt: Unfortunately that is what has become, a three day day weekend to have barbeques. After reading your post I took a drive through the neighborhood and was amazed at the lack of flags. It was worse than thought.

My husband and I went to Valley Forge Pennsylvania today. We have never been there before. It was quite a nice and somber experience. What the Soldiers in the Continental Army had to endure those cold ‘lean’ winters at Valley Forge is truly humbling… Thank God there were so many Loyal to George Washington… We also learned Our Congress hasn’t changed much in ‘promises’ kept since then either…and that was not meant as a joke… for the solders and divisions stationed at Valley Forge, they really needed the promises Congress made – kept.

None the less I was happy to see young people there and Family’s with their kids.

Some of our Troops out of Texas were there, I would say about 25 of them. We naturally thanked them for their service and chatted with some of them for a bit.

There was a Wreath Ceremony in Remembrance of our Fallen Heroes we attended which was naturally somber, we had a moment of silence and you could only hear the birds chirping, it was a very serene and ‘fitting’ moment. A Sailor helped with the Wreath. I always get choked up when it comes to our soldiers and their sacrifices… I cannot visit Washington, DC and the Memorials there without getting choked up…And the Vietnam Wall? … forget it… The [New] WWII Memorial there is really awesome – especially at night…

It’s very sad to me what people have done to this day of Remembrance and Honoring. In my part of the country Memorial Day usually marks the weekend when everyone ‘opens up the beach house ‘ for the summer… Do I feel like ‘shaking’ some patriotism into a lot of people who just want to party like it’s 1999 on Memorial Day? Of course I do… Until we instill as a Country and Particularly our [Schools] what it means to be a “Patriotic American” and Pride in Country, Honor our Soldiers, instead of the [ America Bashing/Soldier Bashing] I hear so much of, particularly from those on the Left… well I need not go any further with that here… many will continue to consider Memorial Day a three day party weekend… and the ‘official beginning of summer’….

I know what today is all about and to those I have run into in stores, the neighborhood, and where ever, when I say have a nice Memorial Day I add: “please don’t forget our fallen soldiers'”… they can take my expression anyway they want… but, hopefully it sunk into a few heads…

God Bless America and God Bless our Service Men and Women…

@Ivan:

Let’s be frank about this one thing: Bush should have declared war in September of ’01 and called up the draft. Total war was demanded, yet he wanted to appease the bankers and Wall Street and attempt to have his cake and eat it too-a good economy.

Epic fail on that respect.

Oh, I get it: It’s all Bush’s fault. And in 2011 when Americans are “still at the shopping malls”, it’s still Bush’s fault. Outstanding! [/sarcasm]

You do recall that one of bin Laden’s goals was to “bleed” the U.S. economy? Yes, Bush should have asked more of the public and encouraged sacrifice and service “to a cause greater than self”; but you do understand why Bush, on the heels of 9/11, said what he said at the time?

So don’t be surprised by the fact most Americans are out to lunch on the entire concept of Memorial Day and being a good citizen.

Americans losing sight of the significance and purpose of Memorial Day did not begin on Bush’s watch. I’d say it probably began in the 70s, post-Vietnam and the move to make it a 3 (or 4)-day weekend.

I couldn’t find Daniel Cagle‘s headstone last year (LA National Cemetery), but found it again this year. The OIF headstones are easy to spot because of their “newness” and usually decorated with flowers and tokens of remembrance. Kneeling down with tears streaming from my eyes, passersby would assume I knew these soldiers personally.

@Wordsmith:

You do recall that one of bin Laden’s goals was to “bleed” the U.S. economy? Yes, Bush should have asked more of the public and encouraged sacrifice and service “to a cause greater than self”; but you do understand why Bush, on the heels of 9/11, said what he said at the time?

Yeah, I do remember what Bush said, a whole-lotta nothing. “You’re either with us or against us (as in aiding the enemies of the US).

Well, Iran has been bitch-slapping us daily in Iraq and Afghanistan with their MILITARY AID to the AQ SUPPORTERS in both nations.

And what did Bush do about it? NOTHING. Why not? Because he didn’t have the numbers of military men to do anything about it.

He barely took Iraq on the “cheap”, so to say. Ditto with Afghanistan (it was only with the Obama surge did the US military gain the initiative in said nation).

So yeah, Bush tried fighting a WORLD WIDE WAR on the cheap, and blew it. Now we’re in this insanely long war all over the place without the necessary men and equipment.

EPIC FAIL.