I fear getting myself into trouble for doing this but if I can only articulate the importance of how I feel without coming across as a big dope, I think most will understand and perhaps some might even agree.
Memorial Day is a national holiday in which we honor those who have died in service to America.
Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who perished while in military service to their country. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War, it was expanded after World War I to include casualties of any war or military action.
Far too many Memorial Day events that I witnessed spent the majority of their time honoring the American soldier – the walking and breathing version. I believe we should honor our military 365 days a year and on top of all that, we have set aside another national day of celebration called Veterans Day in November.
My fear is this. As I get older I witness everyday less and less the teaching of history in our schools and our homes. Seldom, if ever, are our children taught about the founding of this country if only in passing. It seems that our society wants awfully much to stay away from dealing with any death when it comes to war. As gruesome as that is, it is a fact of our history and something that should never be forgotten.
We shouldn’t choose as part of our rapidly progressing society to disregard the ultimate sacrifices made by American men and women because we don’t like it or it makes us uncomfortable or that somehow if we shield this reality from our children it will magically disappear.
Without sounding callous, there is no bigger value that can be placed on our freedom than the sacrifices of human life to achieve that. If we remove the realities of that sacrifice from our “celebrations” of Memorial Day, so too will we soon forget our God-given right to freedom and the appreciation for it.
As U.S. citizens, whether we think war is necessary, we must honor and respect all those who serve this great country. There will be no life as we know it in America, should we forget or not be taught, that since the founding of this nation, men and women have died so that we can be free. All the money in the world cannot replace one life.
I want to see Memorial Day return to a national day in which we honor those who died and remember why.
Tom Remington
