This cartoon from the late, great Glenn Foden perfectly sums up an important message: it's fine to celebrate, but we must never forget the real meaning of Memorial Day. Every one of us owes a debt which can not be repaid, but can and must be honored throughout the entire year.
22 comments:
I find it appropriate to say a prayer of thankful respect as I'm lighting the coals, let the smoke carry my intentions up...
Helps keep things in perspective, and off on the right foot..
Memorial Day used to be May 30th. It was a day of rememberance for those who gave all in service to this country. In 1971, Congress changed it to the last Monday in May and made it a federal holiday. It has become a time for partying and general foolishness. Memorial Day is not "happy", rather it is a somber day when almost no one remembers the reason the for the day. Please remember to take a moment today at 3 pm to remember those whose sacrifice should never be forgotten. God Bless the men and women who died in service to this country, and God Bless the United States of America.
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Wouldn't it be great if we had no reason for Memorial Day?
But, alas, since our nation has only been at peace for 21 years of it's entire history, we have hundreds of thousands of reasons.
Unfortunately, many - if not most - of those brave souls died in vain for invalid reasons in countries we never should have gotten involved with in the first place.
Here's hoping and praying that the globalists and the Military Industrial Complex can never again decieve us into fighting and dieing for their unjust causes.
God bless all of the fallen.
Geoff, I couldn't agree with you more. Like so much of history our schools don't teach our youth the real meaning of Memorial Day ... or much else having to do with history. This old Jarhead is going to celebrate with a couple of small glasses of good old Appalachian coff medicine.
@Pete (Detroit)- Sounds right to me.
@Jim Irre- It's a personal annoyance of mine that holidays are fluidly rearranged because "three days off" is apparently more important than the actual meaning of the occasion. And I daresay that in a word association test, most Americans would pair "Memorial Day" with cookouts, picnics, and sales rather than remembering our war dead.
@emma duggu- I generally take a "less is more" attitude about links, though you've found some good sources of pictures and sayings if people are looking for things to share on their own social media.
@Geoff King- You're speaking a very sad truth. Today we memorialize the valor and sacrifice of the fallen, but it's also appropriate to think about what was or wasn't accomplished by that sacrifice, and the legitimacy of what was asked of our warriors. These are painful questions, but to leave then unasked is doing a disservice to those we honor today.
@Fred Ciampi- A generation with no sense of history can't look forward to much of a future. Pass me a little of that coff medicine, brother.
@ Geoff King and also Stilt's follow-up to Geoff: Well said gentlemen; thank you.
Today I'm also remembering how Memorial Day used to be. In our experience with families less complex shall we say & much less scattered, it was more feasible to go out to the cemetery and honor our dead (the freedom fighters in particular) more properly & as families. Now it's highly PC to recognize military year-round on many dates(especially 4 July, Veterans Day & others, now even Christmas)... and the purpose of Memorial Day holiday is a bit diluted. Yet our national leaders seem to have learned little. I'll stop here,or this could become a rant.
If you get a chance, take a look at Victor Davis Hansen's Memorial Day essay in this weekend's Wall Street Journal. Insightful and thought provoking as only VDH can do. Prayers and thanks today for all who have given the last full measure of devotion.
A BIT diluted? I turned on "sounds of the seasons" music on my cable's music choice and they are calling today's "season" "BBQ Weekend". Outrageous!
GOD bless the USA and it's fallen.
I am proud to have served my country. All of us who were there can only say though, this was such a terrible waste. This weekend is just another long weekend about me, me, me. I guess it tells my age when right now I just put up the flag, closed the front door, let my emotions come to the surface and remember those that sacrificed all.
@ Sorawitte: Thank you for your service and also everyone else who served.
GOD BLESS AMERICA AND HER FALLEN HERO WARRIORS.
Whatever the war or so-called war or reasoning, you can't fault the brave military who have done what their country has asked of them.
I remember store owners in our small northern California town replacing their usual storefront display windows with old war paraphernalia, prayers and unobtrusive signs that said "Lest we Forget." I was still only a small child after WWII, but I never forgot those displays that honored our veterans who sacrificed their lives and limbs to ensure our freedom.
Even though Memorial Day was originally called "Decoration Day,"(instituted to commemorate Civil War veterans three years after that war), the spirit of remembrance is no less important---at least to me---than that of Veterans Day.
Sadly, ask any kid on the street what Memorial Day means, and they will reply with nothing other than a blank stare.
Salute - thank you my brothers and sisters....
Geoff King is on the mark. If I correctly recall, in his Farewell address Pres. Washington warned us to "avoid foreign entanglements." It seem that every time we have ignored that advice, countless American men and women have given their lives. Too often it was for questionable causes, and ungrateful countries. God bless the families of my friends who were brought home from Vietnam in body bags and coffins. I will never forget you, nor dishonor your sacrifice.
I, too am with youse guys. I, too sweated for four years, hoping I would not get sent of to some god forsaken place called Viet Nam. On the ship we periodically got some vet of that hell hole and I was a quick learner. Had I went, I would not be here now as I would have served on a plywood boat in a river. Only the really lucky got out of that mess.
God bless our wounded and fallen warriors and may the fallen ones always be remembered for their sacrifice. For every dead warrior, there is a ruined family that will never be the same.
I've seen sources that list the ways so-called "draft-dodgers" of the time (their words) avoided the Viet Nam War. Some of them are indeed valid accusations like medical faking, run off to Canada, get some well-connected help, forge military ID, claim to be conscientious objector without legitimate basis, etc.
But some also consider 2-S college deferments, enlisting with a safer assignment, hard to do without those connections, getting married, even the lottery with a high number as Dodging. I don't think that's valid. James is correct; if one didn't agree with that war which was about the only military service possible then it was a lot about luck. And those who did not go were not all party school people or hippies.
This means no disrespect to all to those who went and served; whether they saw combat or not; and make it back or not. The political and some high military leadership was full of crap. Was it the Romans? maybe others? who in a situation where ill-advised war was enjoined and they lost... the leaders were executed. Sloughing through jungles was just like walking down bomb-laden streets in the Middle East while the locals have working cellphones to trigger those bombs. Why did any damned local cell phone in Iraq work? What did any of that have to do with "protecting the sea-lanes"? Yet I just heard that again not long go about N. Korea. Meanwhile Kissinger , McNamara and their kind stayed safe, got famous and survived to write books. So many lies and now it commonplace, widespread.
I was drafted in '68, right after Tet. I thought for sure that I was going to be sent to Vietnam, but I went to Germany instead. Luck of the draw I guess. We were standing up a new air defense system that was needed in Europe. I have convinced myself that had I been sent to Vietnam, I would have gone and served as best I could, unless they wanted me to be a tunnel rat (at the time I was a scrawny runt). I don't know about that one. Just thinking about being trapped in a tunnel wakes me up at night.
So, I salute those that went and did their best. They are better men than I am, with the possible exception of one Mr. Heinz Ketchup. P.S. I have not, nor will I ever, forgive or forget Hanoi Jane.
The editorial cartoon is spot on perfect.., as for your peepers potential eye problems.., take care of those babies..
I'm Your Huckleberry
Excellent. Glad to see I'm not alone. "What? You mean Memorial Day isn't about barbecuing or buying mattresses?"
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