Something to Think About This Weekend
What is Memorial Day all about? This is my annual attempt to uncover the real meaning of this weekend's holiday so here we go...
For most people, Monday is just another day off. It’s an occasion to sleep late, relax at the beach, or enjoy potato salad at family barbecues.
Nine years ago, my family started a new tradition of observing certain holidays by honoring the reasons they became holidays in the first place. On the Fourth of July, for example, we take turns reading the Declaration of Independence. Charities devoted to former soldiers need help on Veteran’s Day and urban renewal projects look for volunteers on Martin Luther King Day. On Labor Day, we watch Grapes of Wrath. See the pattern? We acknowledge the meaning behind days off, teach our children some history, and serve our community at the same time. Everyone wins.
Memorial Day is an annual opportunity to pay tribute to those who have died for our country. There are many ways to demonstrate our appreciation and remembering them is the least we can do. Grateful Americans attend services at military cemeteries and wear red poppies to show they haven’t forgotten the fallen. Flags are proudly displayed, Taps is played, speeches made, and graves visited.
Early in this new “family tradition”, I remember looking around a tranquil Bay Pines National Cemetery in St. Petersburg during its Memorial Day ceremony and feeling embarrassed at all the empty seats. After the terrorist attacks on 9/11, attendance rose sharply and finding parking spaces became more difficult. Seats continue to fill as Afghanistan and Iraq remind us of sacrifices our soldiers continue to make on a daily basis. Yet, I will be saddened Monday morning that more people aren’t in attendance when I sit down and pin poppies on my children’s shirts. Is an hour too much to give to those who have given everything for our country, for us?
When people ask about my plans this weekend, because I do have a few friends here, I measure my words and try to appeal to their sense of patriotism, especially in this day and age. I will invite them to make the drive to any locally organized observances. There are many to choose from and a beautiful morning is expected. It’s also one of those rare moments when we can all come together, put aside our differences, and say thank you to millions of sons and daughters who have paid the ultimate price for our liberty and freedom.
I will also tell them it only lasts a short while, leaving plenty of time to head back to the beach, barbecue or bed. Then I will ask them again to please, join us.
posted by kate @ 11:19 AM
15 comments
15 Comments:
good for you! i applaud your effort to instill in your sons the tradition of every holiday, especially memorial day. it will pay a reward. remember - thank a vet!
And we should all remember which administration and political party is helping us update those list of patriotic men and women who are now casualities of war. Thank you George Bush, for giving us many new brave soldiers to remember on Memorial Day.
Neat stuff, Kate.
Chase, the soldiers are valiant and deserve our support even if their Commanders-in-Chief are idiots (as they frequently are; none more idiotic than the current one).
Agreed, SD, never said they weren't, we do owe them the best when they return (unlike the current administration's "efforts" ie: Walter Reed and the mistreatment of vets with PTSD)
They shouldn't be there to begin with, but the least we could do is clean up our mess by taking care of them when they return. Haven't seen much of that ... instead, let's extend their tours. Just doesn't make sense.
Gotta just love all the armchair generals and admirals who think they know best how to handle our military forces.
Pathetic losers. If you know so much, why aren't YOU wearing four stars?
Uh, because I don't want to sent brave soldiers to their death for no reason?
(this to the brave "anonymous" who believes so strongly in the cause that he/she can't post as even a fake identity ... way to stand up for the troops)
An interesting position you've placed yourself in, Anon7:20. One of the things those military forces are charged with handling is the protection of the freedoms of the United States. One of those freedoms is the undeniable right to criticize the government, even those same armed forces.
So, in fact, your eagerness to mock and disrupt the exercise of that freedom in others strongly suggests that you do not value it very highly. One can therefore only assume you don't value the sacrifice of those men and women very highly, either. A precarious position to be in, on the Memorial Day.
Wow, really struck a nerve there.
You've never served, and your cowardly excuse is that you don't want to send braver men and women than you into battle.
Yeah, way to stand up for the troops there.
Thanks for the fine demonstration of typical liberal cowardice.
OH, and "quakerjono" you're just as much a coward, to attempt to intimidate me into not exercising my own freedom of speech on a day like today. You should really be ashamed of yourself. Surely you're smart enough to know that freedom of speech works both ways...and for you to suggest that it does not, and to attempt to bully me into shutting up does a disgrace to my fellow veterans, who fought for EVERYONE'S freedom of speech, not just for cowardly idiots to criticize the government and talk about things they so obviously know nothing about.
you're just as much a coward, to attempt to intimidate me into not exercising my own freedom of speech on a day like today.
Gosh, what surprising power you've given me. Where did I attempt to "intimidate" you into anything, certainly nothing so heinous as limit your freedom of speech? Is logic generally intimidating to you? Does rationally extrapolating your premises from your own stated opinion usually fill you with so much fear? That must be a truly dark world to live in, where one of the hallmarks of humanity, our rationality, is so upsetting to you. Indeed, not only do I encourage you to express your opinion, I care about it so much that I'm willing to consider it analytically, something you are either unable or unwilling to do.
The last thing I would wish is for you to limit your speech on account of me. I would, though, hope that you care enough about your own self that you apply a rigorous examination of your opinions on a regular basis.
Feel free to call me a coward or what have you. I've discovered that living a faith-based life is frequently troubling to those around me. I hold no recrimination. I urge you, though, to see such exchange as less of an attack and more of a discussion. This is, of course, harder than assuming just because someone disagrees with you or finds your premises faulty, they must be trying to limit you in some way.
Debating with trolls on the 'net is like wrestling with pigs in their pen, win or lose you both end up covered in mud and poo. Trouble is, the pig actually likes it. 'Tis best to let them wallow in their own filth as we giggle at their antics.
i like that wp --- gonna use that one.
Anon, why would you assume that Chase has no military background. Don't know if he served, but I know he was willing to. You gotta love your Country and be willing to serve if you attend the Citadel. Call Chase what you will, but don't dare call him a coward.
He's a coward. He's hiding behind the blood of others to shoot off his mouth about something he knows little or nothing about. That makes him a coward. And I dare to call him that because he is. If you don't like it, tough noogies.
Not hiding anywhere dimwit.
I actually post my name. Who's actually hiding?
And what's more patriotic than peace?
There used to be a great bumper sticker out there: "No one loves peace more than a soldier."
Before you flame that one and make more of an ass of yourself, it was printed by the Army and distributed at the recruiting post.
sorry to jump in late, but i also question the "armchair generals and admirals" comment. the writing has been on the wall for a long time and you don't have to have made it through boot camp to be able to read it.
however, i have to admit that i've grown tired of recently retired officers declaring that they were against the iraq invasion from the beginning.
who knows what really went on when decisions were being made or what was said and/or considered before action was taken. unfortunately, it's the nature of the beast; with "executive privilege" being called out to cover everything from truly privileged conversations to cheney's take out orders.
on the flip side, three words: chain of command. there's only one person at the top of that flow chart and it's our commander in chief. regardless of how many stars you have, he's the guy who's calling the shots.
you know, the one whose dad got him a desk job? the one who allegedly didn't bother to show up for a year of service?
seems to me, he must have some pretty comfy armchairs.
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