We Don’t Celebrate Memorial Day
Many Americans cringe at the mention of “Happy Memorial Day.” When you remember to whom the day is dedicated to, the line does, in fact, sound inappropriate and even insensitive. Memorial Day—formerly known as Decoration Day—officially begun in 1971 as a federal holiday. Before that, however, communities around the country had been commemorating and honoring fallen heroes, especially those lost to the Civil War. For uniformity, in 1968, Congress passed an act dedicating the last Monday of May as Memorial Day. The Uniform Monday Holiday Act went into effect in 1971. Early Memorial Day practices included decorating the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers, reciting prayers, and gathering for speeches. Today, these practices extend to parades, beer and barbeque, and even mall-wide sales. It seems, today, the sacrifices of those who answered the call of “duty, honor, and country” do not spark as much sentiment as they did years ago. It is indeed common to hear “Happy Memorial Day.” However, we ought to think twice about using such a greeting or even celebrating and enjoying the unofficial start of summer. The day should be a day for reverence. When you greet someone jovially on Memorial Day, what kind of response do you expect to elicit? Think about a family who lost a son or a brother in the war in Afghanistan. A fiancée who lost someone in Iraq. Think about sons and daughters who grew up without their fathers during WWII. About wives and widows who had to raise kids on their own. Think about veterans who lost their comrades in Vietnam or in Korea. About veterans who lost their limbs, sight, or sense of self to the war. How do you look them in the eye and celebrate Memorial Day? For them and many others who felt the loss caused by war, Memorial Day is anything but a happy occasion. It is a solemn day spent remembering and honoring the tears, sweat, and blood of every American who died serving our country or every veteran who sacrificed for us today. Can we celebrate though even as we remember our loss? Can we celebrate the lives of those who died for us and enjoy the fruits of their sacrifice? Perhaps time will heal all our wounds, but just this one day, give it back to those brave men and women. Say a prayer or whisper a thank-you. Light a candle. Look up at the Star-Spangled Banner and remember how we got here today. “In the end we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends” (Martin Luther King Jr.). Read the full article
