No it is a day for reflection. Our parade today just got rained out. Grandkids are disappointed,Oldest was supposed to march with her Girl Scout Troop and the two younger were riding the firetruck.
This was posted elsewhere and perhaps it will help to clear up the long standing confusion. Regarding Memorial Day - here is something to consider: MEMORIAL DAY is for those who have given their all, their blood, their last breath...in the name of their country. That is the purpose of the day, to remember those individuals. We....all of us...have contributed to the commercialization of holidays. WE made it about shopping, freebies, and all that sh*t. WE created the cluster. Allow me to show you why some are fighting to help many see it's not just a 4 day weekend for beer and bbq, not just 30% off sale, or free admission somewhere. Look, the sentiment is understood. It's a 'form' of patriotism. We get it. Best case .... you say "Happy Memorial Day!" to Bobby. And Bobby, a service member, smiles and says thanks...goes about his day. Worst case scenario ... you say "Happy Memorial Day!" to Jimmy, a service member.... He smiles and says thanks. But Jimmy has some survivor guilt because he held Scotts hand, a fella he went to bootcamp with, and bled to death on a mission somewhere in Iraq. Jimmy has nightmares about another friend from basic, Howard...whos LMTV got hit by an IED right in front of him and he held rags, compressing Howards split open chest, trying desperately to stop the bleedout. Your patriotic wish on Memorial day, that he politely said thank you to, triggered feelings. Jimmy sits there reliving moments that no movie could ever make real. It's too much. Jimmy becomes one of the 22. I'd wager 98% of the time the best case is what happens. Could that worst case happen the remaining 2% of the time? Yes, because it's a true story. I'm the one that had to tell Jims parents he was found with a self inflicted gun shot wound and this note next to him ..... "It's supposed to be us happy and remembering all our soldiers. I'm not happy. It hurts. I'm sorry" "I'm not happy." "It hurts." That note haunts me to this day and will forever. Patriotic messages, compassion, and rah rah sis boom bah..... we get it. Enjoy the weekend, celebrate it to honor folks before us, buy something on sale that day, grill a fat steak, drink a cold beer......... It's OK. But if you could stop for minute and pay tribute to the fallen, maybe not say the word happy before Memorial ..... try saying "have a safe Memorial day and I'm here if you need anything" Have safe Memorial Day everyone.
U.S. Navy, 7th Fleet, San Diego. Destroyer Escort Group. Enlisted in May 1968 and got called up in June 1968. My Draft Notice showed up at home while I was in Navy Basic Training at Great Lakes, Illinois NTC. Thank God the Navy didn't release me for anything, because the Draft would've been right there to take me. First ship, and the one I made my first Westpac Cruise to Vietnam on, was the U.S.S. Robinson DDG-12. Here we are coming back into San Diego from Sea Trials. Point Loma in background. Didn't have computers for the Supply Dept. back then and had to do inventory on 3x5 Index Cards. During the years I was in, I had some great times and some not-so-great times. But, got my Honorable Discharge.
Great post Maggie! If perchance a person wishes to have a BBQ or slam a few drinks in order to figuratively bring a loved one back to life for just a few moments or even a day, so be it. But, that’s not the way the general public sees it any longer. It’s party time for others but not so for me. I have written about it on a couple of occasions but the gist of it is that the powers that were, when I came back from Nam, couldn’t figure out what to do with me except to use some past experience I had whilst in a drum and bugle corps and assign me to the U.S. Army Honor Guard. My job: sound Taps. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 35 times.....I played Taps. There is nothing trivial nor gay about laying a fallen soldier to rest. No joy filled parades, no confusion nor partying. The ceremony is exact, precise and somber. Nothing is done that might discredit the soldier but rather gives him or her the due respect for doing something way above and way beyond what a normal citizen would do: give their lives or be prepared to give their lives that others may live free. That’s the way I see Memorial Day should be. Whether a soldier has fought and died for his or her country or was a veteran soldier who served sans combat, all were trained, and all were consciously or subconsciously prepared to die. The day is for those soldiers who have passed from this earth and deserve what they fought for and should have realized in life: peace. As a living combat soldier, I know that every soldier who died in combat died in a moment of confusion. I refuse to allow my memories of them to live on the same way. There is nothing confusing about respect and honor. It’s serene, uncompromising, it’s exact. It’s about love.
Memorial Day was established in 1868 to honor the UNION Civil War dead by placing flowers on their graves. It was initially called "Decoration Day". The American Civil War was the bloodiest in our history, with 600,000 dead between the Blue and the Gray. Hal
Most of us knew what you meant, @Hal Pollner . During my working years, I was "happy" to have the holiday weekend and a nice day off with my family. I didn't mean any disrespect to any fallen soldier, but the true meaning of the holiday was lost on me.
I've learned that there are those that don't honor Memorial Day or Veterans Day and have their reasons for not. They haven't lost anyone in the military or even know anyone in or a Veteran. So, to them, it's just a day off of work that they get paid for. Even though I'm a Veteran, I never took Veterans Day off during my employment years and Memorial Day was basically just a day off for me. Since being married, my wife changed that for me and.........I'm very happy about that.
@Hal Pollner Hal, There is a Confederate Memorial day observed in several states. When Is Confederate Memorial Day 2019? 19Jan2019USA (Texas)Sat, Jan 19, 2019 Add to calendar 22Apr2019USA (Alabama and Georgia)Mon, Apr 22, 2019 Add to calendar 26Apr2019USA (Florida)Fri, Apr 26, 2019 Add to calendar 29Apr2019USA (Mississippi)Mon, Apr 29, 2019 Add to calendar 10May2019USA (North Carolina and South Carolina)Fri, May 10, 2019 Add to calendar
@ Lon Tanner Lon, the "happy" part of this years Memorial Day is that you're here to observe it. Thank you USN 1956-1960 USS Forrest Sherman DD931
This past week my 12 year old grandson asked me 'Just what is Memorial Day about? Then he asked me do I celebrate it? I said "No, I use to but not any more.' Why? because it's not to celebrate but to remember those who have lost their lives for this country.' The conversation was more than that but it moved me that he even asked about it.
I volunteered for the Draft, because I wanted to do my duty by serving in the Military, but Draftees are only required to serve 2 years active duty, while Enlistees are required to serve 3 years. In 1960, I was already 24, and I wanted to get my service time over with quickly. Still, at the checkout counters, they all say "Thank you for your Service." Hal