This commentary was published in the Delaware Coast Press.The real meaning of Memorial Day -- We enjoy freedom today because of the father, the brother, the son, the husband, the pal who never came home.
Commentary by Terry Plowman
Memorial Day now suffers the same secular fate as Christmas -- its commercial value has far outstripped its original meaning.That fact is especially evident here in a resort area, where Memorial Day weekend is considered the kickoff to the busy summer season.
Although there is nothing terribly wrong with that, and we couldn't change it anyway, we hope readers will give a few moments thought to the real meaning of Memorial Day this weekend.
The trouble with evoking memories from past military conflicts is that it is like looking at a grainy black-and-white photograph or newsreel (an outdated term in itself).
For many Americans who can barely remember life without color photography, looking at these black-and-white images has little impact. They represent another time, one that is hard to connect with today.
But for those who lived through the past few wars, there is color in the memories, and for many of those who served in the military, the color is blood red.
For them Memorial Day is not a history lesson, quickly forgotten like other lessons from our school days. For them it is the father, the brother, the son, the husband, the pal who never came home.
And for those of us living today, the war dead are our vivid connection to Memorial Day -- because it is an eerie fact that many of us would not be here today were it not for a quirk of fate that allowed our fathers to survive a war.
How many of the more than 400,000 World War II dead would have fathered the geniuses, the creators, the liberators of today's generations?
How many of the 116,000 World War I dead, the 54,000 Korean War dead, or the 58,000 Vietnam War dead? How many of the 500,000 Civil War dead would have fathered children whose impact would still be felt in our lives today?
Actually, many of these dead patriots were themselves only 18 or 19 years old, so they were robbed of the chance to leave us any legacy other than the memory of their sacrifice.
A wounded seaman who was taken aboard a rescue vessel during the D-Day invasion was quoted in Life magazine about the fundamental mystery of war:
"(The ship) was loaded with the bodies of sailors, soldiers, airmen; the wounded and survivors. And on board was the body of my friend Pete Petersen. He was going to be 21 on June 22. One thing you always wonder is, who makes that decision: Who dies and who doesn't?"
On this holiday weekend, let's not forget the meaning, the mystery and the tragedy behind Memorial Day.
The Telegraph writes
Posted: Monday, May 27, 2013 7:15 am
Today marks the annual observance of the Memorial Day national holiday, and we urge our readers to think about its real meaning.
In our busy lives, it’s easy to just view the three-day weekend at the end of May as the unofficial start of the summer vacation season. Most of us are glad to have a Monday off from work, and we’re preoccupied by the sporting events, barbecues and picnics. Youngsters, in particular, are looking forward to the opening of the area’s public swimming pools, even though this spring has been unusually cool and rainy.
But there’s more to Memorial Day than just the games, hotdogs, cold beverages and fun in the sun. Memorial Day began as a day to pay homage to the nation’s war dead, and that original meaning still resonates today.
The holiday has its roots in the years immediately following the American Civil War, when families and communities began decorating the graves of the hundreds of thousands of soldiers who died in that epic struggle. Reflecting the bitter differences that divided the country even after the Confederacy’s surrender at Appomattox Court House in Virginia, the North and the South initially conducted their observances on different days.
It took the tragedy of the U.S. losses in World War I to finally bring the whole country together to observe the holiday on the same day. As the tradition developed, it grew to include memorializing those who gave their lives for this country throughout its history.
Historically, Memorial Day had the greatest significance for those generations that made the greatest sacrifices for our nation, such as those who experienced the Civil War and the two world wars.
But it seems Memorial Day’s luster has faded in recent years. We’ve lost several thousand lives in Iraq and Afghanistan over the last decade-plus, but because less than 1 percent of Americans are directly involved in those wars, the nation has not displayed as much patriotic fervor as did generations past.
Despite that, the soldiers and other service members who died in all our country’s wars, past and present, still deserve our respect and our recognition. After all, if it had not been for their service and their sacrifices, none of us would enjoy the freedoms we do today, including the freedom to celebrate this holiday.
Alton has a proud history of observing Memorial Day with its annual parade, which the city bills as the oldest continuously running event of its kind in the United States. This year’s parade will be the 146th edition.
We urge our readers to attend today’s parade, if possible, to show their support for our military and their respect for our war dead. Another moving ceremony is scheduled for sunset today at Alton’s National Cemetery, where many of the graves date to the Civil War.
