Summary: How should we honor the sacrifices made by our veterans, past and present.? After 150 years of frequent wars, as the last of our troops return from Afghanistan, as the military begins the long post-war downsizing, we need to up our game. Memorial Day is the day to begin.
This year the FM website has 3 posts to commemorate it…
(1) “See our victory in WWII by what didn’t happen afterwards” by Martin van Creveld.
(2) On Memorial Day let’s admit what we’ve done to America & begin its reform.
(3) An for Memorial Day, here’s a post from the archives…
Contents
- Who started Memorial Day?
- Four ways to celebrate Memorial Day
- Another perspective on Memorial Day
- Something else to ponder on Memorial Day
(1) Origin of the Memorial Day holiday
The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans who served in the American Civil War. Here is their General Order No.11, issued on 5 May 1868:
The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet church-yard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.
For 16 years I led Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts on Memorial Day to plant flags on graves. That’s an appropriate thing for children to do. But the US has been at war much of the past 150 years, and that’s no longer sufficient for its citizens. The toll of the crippled and dead have grown too long. We should redefine our obligations to our veterans, living and dead.
(2) Four ways to celebrate Memorial Day
(a) Support our troops
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