Meaningful Memorial Day

Flopping Aces ^ | 05-27-19 | Wordsmtith

[Starman417]

I hope everyone has a meaningful, reflective Memorial Day.

The following is a repost, originally published May 30, 2016....

Christian Jacobs hugs the headstone of his father U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Christopher Jacobs as mother Brittany, wipes away a tear in Arlington National Cemetery

A friend recently posted this iconic 2007 photo of Christian Golczynski:

His father, Marine Staff Sgt. Marc Golczynski, was shot and killed while on patrol during his second tour in Iraq. This photo is all over the internet and is heartbreaking because of the 8 year old's strength in holding back tears during a formal ceremony honoring his father who is no longer with him.

This is Christian a year ago:

Bookworm writes:

When my teenage son realized that Monday isn’t just a school holiday but is, in fact, a national holiday honoring the men and women who have died serving our country, he made an interesting comment about those who died. “It’s hard to appreciate that they’re real people because you never know who they are.”

Think about that: Despite the fact that our country has been actively at war for three-quarters of his life, my son has never known someone who died while fighting on America’s behalf, nor has he ever met someone who lost a loved one to war.

It looks as though only around 7.3% of all living Americans have served in the military at some point in their lives.

As of 2014, the VA estimates there were 22 million military veterans in the U.S. population. If you add their figures on veterans to the active personnel numbers mentioned above, 7.3 percent of all living Americans have served in the military at some point in their lives.

WaPo:

Unlike in World War II, when the draft meant that nearly everyone had family members and friends risking their lives, the battles in Iraq and Afghanistan have been waged by 2.5 million volunteers — less than 1 percent of the U.S. population.

March 9, 2007 - Gold Star Dad Mark Crowley, center, hugs wordsmith after a rally to support U.S. troops. Wearing a t-shirt with an image of his son, killed while serving in Iraq, Crowley accepts dozens of flags to bring with him to Washington D.C. (Spencer Weiner / LAT)

I tried to enlist in 2007/8, but failed. Although I grew up a military brat, have met or corresponded with service members and Gold Star parents, I myself have not had a close personal friend who enlisted and who was subsequently killed while in theater. Most Americans seem to lack that personal connection; and live detached from the recent conflicts our military is still engaged in.

This was an op-ed published in WaPo last year, written by Jennie Haskamp, a Marine veteran:

Wednesday night, sitting in a pizza joint in the Bronx, watching the world go by, I was upset and couldn’t put my finger on why.

A friend said “Hey! Do you want to go to Fleet Week? It’s this weekend here in the city.”

What? No? Absolutely not. I don’t want to be in the midst of tens of thousands of people clamoring for a chance to look at a static display of Marine Corps and Navy equipment. I don’t want to see Marines and sailors dressed up, paraded around for community relations and recruiting purposes. I don’t want to watch any parades.

As I said it (barked it, really), my friend’s eyes widened and I recognized the frustration in my tone. I didn’t know why I was upset, at first. I paused, and while I was sitting there contemplating my outburst, I heard a commercial on the radio screaming through the tinny speakers.

“Beaches, beats and BBQs!” it said. “We’re your Memorial Day station with everything you need to kick off the summer in style!”

That’s when it hit me. I’m angry. I’ve come to realize people think Memorial Day is the official start of summer. It’s grilled meat, super-duper discounts, a day (or two) off work, beer, potato salad and porches draped in bunting.

~~~A friend reminded me that plenty of people use the weekend the way it was designed: to pause and remember the men and women who paid the price of our freedom, and then go on about enjoying those freedoms.

But I argue not enough people use it that way. Not enough people pause. Not enough people remember.

I’m frustrated by people all over the country who view the day as anything but a day to remember our WAR DEAD. I hate hearing “Happy Memorial Day.”

It’s not Veterans Day. It’s not military appreciation day. Don’t thank me for my service. Please don’t thank me for my service. It’s take the time to pay homage to the men and women who died while wearing the cloth of this nation you’re so freely enjoying today, day.

~~~So yeah. I’m frustrated by Memorial Day. And I’m angry about apathy.

I want to see people besides the small percentage of us who are veterans, know veterans, love veterans or lost veterans, understand what the day is about. It’s the one day on the American calendar meant to exemplify what it costs to be American and to be free… and we’ve turned it into a day off work, a tent sale and a keg of beer.

I've never perceived Memorial Day as "happy" or "celebratory", although one might look at the occasion as a time to honor those who sacrificed by celebrating the life their sacrifices have afforded us. We are able to enjoy barbecues with friends and families and go to the mall for those Memorial Day sales...because of them. We can have the luxury of a 3-day weekend at the beach because of the beach they stormed 72 years ago.

Is it too much to ask all Americans to take a brief moment (let alone once a year) to really think about the service and sacrifices of so many, if nothing else? And the families who they left behind?

[Southside_Chicago_Republican]

Bookmark

[DoodleBob]

I attended a Memorial Day celebration today in a VERY blue part of the country, in a VERY blue town (in fact, you could say it has all the colors of the rainbow in it...). You would think that the speeches would be littered with statist bromides and claptrap, the military presence would be light, and most of the attendees would be Antifa.

I am happy to report that if you didn't know better, you could have mistaken today's festivities as having been broadcast from Texas or Oklahoma (the latter of which was the only state where ALL counties went for Trump in 2016). There were NO political speechs at all, even from the very Dem speakers. There was no mention of being gay, straight, black, white, yellow, legal or illegal, old, Millenial, rich, poor, or ANY of the usual separation words.

Today...we were AMERICANS. The school band played patriotic songs, there was a PRAYER that mentioned GOD, there were actual American flags...it was awesome.

[Romans Nine]

Sorry but Democrats are enemies of the Republic everyday including Memorial Day.

Don’t fall for the lies, they hate patriots and hate America.
I have two sons in the Marine Corps and a foster son in the Army.
To see how they are treated by Democrats and how President Trump has treated them is such an incredible contrast it’s hard to believe these people live in the same country.

[Leaning Right]

> Meaningful Memorial Day <

Yes, the key word there is “meaningful”. But I think that’s lost on too many people.

I live in a working class neighborhood. Few Republicans (that I know of), but lots of FDR/JFK conservative Democrats. From my front porch I can see perhaps twenty houses up and down the street.

Only three houses - including mine - are flying American flags today. I guess everybody else is too busy barbecuing.

By the way, that number (three) has been pretty constant for many years now. And it’s a damn shame.

[txrefugee]

The problem with living where there are FDR/JFK Democrats is that both of them are dead, but Democrats will vote for Socialist BernieSanders if he is the Democrat nominee. Party trumps country for them.

[jmacusa]

For me everyday is Memorial Day.

[PGalt]

Thanks to all who have served, all who are serving and all who will serve in the future.

love

[DoodleBob]

Oh trust me, I am not THAT stupid. I know of military men and women who spoke of the night and day treatment they get from R vs D administrations. I also know many politicians would likely send me to the gulag were it not for 300,000,000+ firearms and 5 kazillion+ rounds in private hands.

My point was on a local level, it is ASTOUNDING how different the tone can be. And while I keep my doors locked, I fear the D.C. lot more than the local Dem.

[lizma2]

“I am happy to report “

Sounds wonderful!

Spent the weekend with my Dad’s best friend, who sat with me when my Dad was dying.

We’re BIG Indy 500 fans! Usually go to the race. This was better.

Been a volunteer at Walter Reed for years, Thought about are military men and women allll day long..