All fun aside.
Today is Memorial Day (previously known as Decoration Day). The holiday itself was officially observed for the first time on May 30 1868 when, at Arlington National Cemetery, the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers were decorated with flowers (though many of the Confederate states had their own specific days of remembrance and chose not to recognize the federal holiday until after the first world war, when the scope of the holiday was expanded to include Americans who had died in all of this countries wars, not just the Civil War). The current date for this holiday (the last Monday in May) was set by congress in 1971 (see the National Holiday Act).
For most people today is a day to go camping with friends, to go to the lake and party, or to fire up the back yard BBQ, and to enjoy the freedom that this country affords us. For some families though, it is a day to mourn, to worry for the safety of a loved one, to pray for their safe return. And while we do enjoy talking in this country, and bandying around phrases like "Liberal" and "Conservative" and "Righteous", and "Traitorous", it would be nice if (at some point today) we could all take some time away from our motorboats, and our BBQ, and our nonstop bickering, and remember.
As long as there have been people there has been fighting, and as long as there have been countries there has been war. No matter what your personal political leanings, today is a day for us to recognize the sacrifice of the few for the sake of the many, and to give thanks for the freedoms we have.
So today we mourn those who have fallen (and are still falling) in service to our country, the men and women who were willing to sacrifice everything; not because they necessarily believed in the politicians, or the media, but because they believed in the Ideal, and were willing do fight for the Idea of America in spite of the practical flaws.
And for those currently serving overseas, in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Bosnia, in Macedonia, in Haiti, and in a dozen other places that most folks don't even know about,
God Bless, take care of yourselves, and try to come home in one piece; your family's miss you as much as you miss them.
For most people today is a day to go camping with friends, to go to the lake and party, or to fire up the back yard BBQ, and to enjoy the freedom that this country affords us. For some families though, it is a day to mourn, to worry for the safety of a loved one, to pray for their safe return. And while we do enjoy talking in this country, and bandying around phrases like "Liberal" and "Conservative" and "Righteous", and "Traitorous", it would be nice if (at some point today) we could all take some time away from our motorboats, and our BBQ, and our nonstop bickering, and remember.
As long as there have been people there has been fighting, and as long as there have been countries there has been war. No matter what your personal political leanings, today is a day for us to recognize the sacrifice of the few for the sake of the many, and to give thanks for the freedoms we have.
So today we mourn those who have fallen (and are still falling) in service to our country, the men and women who were willing to sacrifice everything; not because they necessarily believed in the politicians, or the media, but because they believed in the Ideal, and were willing do fight for the Idea of America in spite of the practical flaws.
And for those currently serving overseas, in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Bosnia, in Macedonia, in Haiti, and in a dozen other places that most folks don't even know about,
God Bless, take care of yourselves, and try to come home in one piece; your family's miss you as much as you miss them.
posted by Murph | 6:38 PM
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