The Meaning of Memorial Day
As an American, and the granddaughter and daughter of men who served in the Navy, Memorial Day has held some special meaning to me. As a child, I associated this particular day with parades, bright red, white and blue banners, the beginning of summer, as we remembered those who had died heroically to fight for our country.
Today, Memorial Day seems to have a completely different meaning for me. Up close and personal are those images of the men and women who are continuing to serve in the military and risk their lives each and every day in the meaning of 'freedom.' Today, when I think about Memorial Day, I have visions of car bombs, more than 1,200 Americans who are have been wounded or injured, some brain dead and unable to function, families broken. My heart goes out to these individuals. I continue to ask, however, what is the meaning of 'freedom' for which these individuals continue to fight? Is it these continual images of death and violence as we are spoon fed this constant rederick that we are spreading freedom and democracy to Iraq's people?
Where is it? Is it the many deaths that have occurred at the expense of a war that has cost this country billions of dollars while many Americans still face staggering unemployment, inability to have affordable health care, homelessness? Is this the meaning of freedom for us as Americans? Is this a true fight for America? To me, this war is more about money than anything else, as we watch corporations become more powerful and rich at expense of many.
What is the meaning of Memorial Day to you? How do you define freedom?
Thank you for your minds.
Today, Memorial Day seems to have a completely different meaning for me. Up close and personal are those images of the men and women who are continuing to serve in the military and risk their lives each and every day in the meaning of 'freedom.' Today, when I think about Memorial Day, I have visions of car bombs, more than 1,200 Americans who are have been wounded or injured, some brain dead and unable to function, families broken. My heart goes out to these individuals. I continue to ask, however, what is the meaning of 'freedom' for which these individuals continue to fight? Is it these continual images of death and violence as we are spoon fed this constant rederick that we are spreading freedom and democracy to Iraq's people?
Where is it? Is it the many deaths that have occurred at the expense of a war that has cost this country billions of dollars while many Americans still face staggering unemployment, inability to have affordable health care, homelessness? Is this the meaning of freedom for us as Americans? Is this a true fight for America? To me, this war is more about money than anything else, as we watch corporations become more powerful and rich at expense of many.
What is the meaning of Memorial Day to you? How do you define freedom?
Thank you for your minds.
16 Comments:
While I agree that "everyday" should be a day to remember the people who serve our countries I think that Memorial Day (to me anyways) is a very special day because it is a day specifically set aside to remember those people. Having a day set aside to remember you is quite an honor, is it not? Should we not honor their memory by remembering them on that day specifically?
sapmoolapmoo:
I think dstigue has made a good point about why we are still in Iraq. Frankly, I believe our being there has much to do with money now than anything else, as I said in my post.
Thank you for your kind words and support.
The meaning of Memorial Day to me is that I get to reflect on the men and women who fought and died for my country. Especially when they died in vain to preserve the "right" of free speech for narrow-minded idiots' conspiracy theories against our President.
And you wonder why Kerry wasn't elected...
My husband and I marched in Washington, D.C., BEFORE the war started to protest the idea of invading Iraq. We had no business invading another country.
However, now that we are there, how can we just pull out? The people who live there would suffer even more if we leave suddenly. It's a mess.
Memorial Day means something to me for sure. My father was in the Navy during WWII. All the men I knew when I was growing up served in the armed services.
Memorial Day is a hard call holiday. On one hand, the reason for the holiday is to remember what people have fought and died for. On the other hand, it is a three day weekend and usually a great time for a BBQ out on the boat and to drink a lot of beer.
But how can one relax on their boat and drink beer knowing full well that right now, there is a war going on? One way is to drink till you can not think anymore - but this is not a good idea if you have to drive the boat!
I suppose the best way to deal with it is to remember that the reason for most wars was so I CAN go out in my boat this weekend and burn off 40 gallons of gas while drinking beer.
But this weekend I do not plan to do that. The boat ramps will be WAY too busy. Also even if my boat gas tank does hold 43 gallons, only once did I use more than 1/2 a tank. Most of the time I get by on 1/4 of a tank. I hate the idea that the "war on terror" is more about oil than freedom, but I did not start it. What can one person do?
If I could afford to do so, I would live on a sailboat. I would not need gas, and solar panels could provide me with all the power I would need. Unless I decided to run air conditioning.
As a child my family used to go to the cemetery every year on Memorial Day and put flowers on the graves of those we have loved who have passed on.
Memorial Day has always been a day to remember our those we have lost, whether they were veterans or not. I always knew as a child that when the peonies bloomed it would soon be time to visit the graves.
My father is a WWII veteran, I lost 2 cousins in Vietnam and I have friends in Utah who are Gulf War veterans. Memorial Day has always been a time of rememberance and I truly appreciate the sacrifice that people have made over the years in the service of our country, whether it be for our country's freedom or for the betterment of humanity elsewhere.
The last couple of Memorial Days have felt differnt though. I have been accused of not supporting our troops because I am against the current war. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I so admire our troops. These are people who are willing to dedicate their lives to the defense of our country and to the defense of humanity. They are our neighbors, family and friends and I completely appreciate and admire them for their selfless act when they signed up for the armed forces.
But does the fact that they are volunteers give the government the right to expend their lives like so much cattle in a war of choice?
My heart aches for our volunteers, it aches for their families, it aches for the years of emotional torture they will endure if they are lucky enough to come home alive.
So Memorial Day, to me, has become a day of aching. I want nothing more than for our troops to feel the touch of their loved ones. I want nothing more than for the people of Iraq to live in peace. I ache for humanity, for all the things she could be and all the things she will never achieve.
Look at the mass graves and the genocide that Saddam created.
NEVER AGAIN MEANS NEVER AGAIN not just for some.
I have some Kurdish friends as well as one friend who is Assyirian who was tortured by Saddams seceret police.
The American media has done a rather poor job of covering what is going on in Iraq. If it bleeds it leds the fact that most of Iraq is peaceful esp in the Kurdish part and in the Shitte south does not make it into the news at all.
The most important group of terrorist in Iraq today is AL QUADA
remember them.
So far they have found mass graves with 300,000 men, woman, children and yes even babies, Saddam commited genocide against the Kurdish people, Even using W.M.D.' on a civilian population.
http://www.beyan.net/halabja/
If we had done nothing Saddam would still be putting people into mass graves.
to me NEVER AGAIN means just that.
Memorial Day is a holiday first started to honor the Civil War dead, but later to honor all those who have died in the service of any of our wars.
Now, many have extended this holiday to also honor their loved ones who have passed away.
The national holiday is meant for us to thank those who've fought on our country's behalf, whether or not we agree with the war they fought in. It's simply a day to say Thank You for your courage and your service.
My grandfather served proudly in WWII, and helped liberate a concentration camp. He saw firsthand the evil that exists in the world. I'm thankful for his courage to serve as he did so many years ago.
He was shot in the eye and his military career ended, but I'm so glad his life was spared. Many have not been so fortunate.
It's those that I honor and take time to remember to thank.
Remember Germany did not attack us in WW2 only Japan did so if you use the argeument that we should not go to other places if they did not attack us. We would never have helped take Hitlers Nazi out of power. Saddam committed the same type of crimes as Hitler just at a smaller scale. The mass graves that have been found so far total more than 300,000 so only Pol Pat in Cambodia and Rwanda were worse than Saddam. Funny how facts don't matter.
Yes i do feel for the families of our GI's My father was a lifer in the military and i grew up on army bases till I was 14.
Thank you for such beautiful comments.
And I agree with Jamie Dawn: We honor those who have fought and sacrificed their lives and the time from their families whether we agree with the war or not.
I am thankful for their service but saddened by their deaths and injuries as well, especially those who have died recently. The images from the war with Iraq remain imprinted sharply on my mind.
I just wish we would be able to leave quickly for the sake of everyone involved.
To me, Memorial Day is a time to remember how horrible war is and to say, "Never again".
I was in the navy during the "first" Gulf War. I also try to remember the (relatively few) soldiers and sailors who died in that war, which has already been overshadowed and forgotten.
It seems like the "good" wars (like World War II) are remembered, and the "really nasty" wars like Vietnam and the current war in Iraq are remembered... but somehow the Korean War and the first Gulf War seem forgotten. Sort of strange. But people did die, after all.
On Memorial Day I remember all the people (my family has many) who have fought for our freedom, and peace.
I am not pro war by any means, and I do not want any of our soldiers to be harmed, but they all joined the military willingly. The military's job is to insure peace. We were attacked on 9/11 by an enemy that lives, thrives, and builds in Iraq--among many other countries in the area. Since the war has started in Iraq we have had no other terrorist attacks on American Soil. Coincidence, or direct effect of Bush letting them know from the get go that we will take no crap?? You tell me.
It is the terrorist that are killing Iraqi civilians some of these terrorists were the same people that were putting Kurds and Shittes in the mass graves (so far they have found 300,000 people in mass graves, men, women, children and even babies) in the first place.
Some are not bothered by GENOCIDE esp if they can't blame America for it.
Memorial Day: My great grandfather and great great grandfather both fought in the Union army in the Civil War (my great grandfather lied about his age -- 14 -- to get in); my father, a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force, earned a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star in World War II. I thank them for what they did for all of us.
My father lied about his age joined the navy and was at Pearl Horbor on that dec 7th at the young age of 16, After ww2 was over after marring my mom because she did not want him away at sea all the time he joined the army and was there for 20 years.
When I was 14 I asked him about pearl harbor all he said was I would not understand.
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