Please Remember the Real Meaning of Memorial Day
Today We Honor the Fallen
There will be no episode of TSP tomorrow in recognition of Memorial Day. I do want to take a moment to remind everyone today of what Memorial Day is all about. Many well meaning people even get it wrong in a way. My inbox tends to fill up with “thanks for your service” emails around Memorial Day. I appreciate it, there is nothing wrong with thanking a vet today, yet it is not really the day to thank vets many seem to believe it to be.
It seems to me that many think Memorial Day is like Veterans Day Part Two, it isn’t. Again no day is a bad day to thank a vet but if we become convinced that Memorial Day is about those of us that served and came back home, we miss the point. Memorial Day is more somber, it is about those who fell in battle and never again got up, it is about those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, it bluntly is about those who died.
Today at some point just pause and think about that. Think about the 4,400 of our US service members that have fallen in Iraq, the 2,300 in Afghanistan, the 47,000 in Vietnam, 33,000 in Korea, 291,000 in WWII, 53,000 in WWI or perhaps the 212,000 that fell on both sides in the War Between the States.
You don’t have to be for any war past or present to respect men and women who will give their lives for what they believe and fight the wars that politicians initiate. There are days for just about everything now. Days for bosses, secretaries, days for this and that and anything Hallmark can come up with.
What you won’t find in most greeting card stores is a Memorial Day Card, because those who would receive the card can’t open it, read it and feel good that someone cares. All they can hope for is that someone remembers their sacrifice, perhaps a flower or a wreath on their graves (if they even have one) or a comrade who is now living with a zeal for life in their memory.
Memorial day my friends is to remember those who served and died. Enjoy the day off if you have it, just try to remember the cost of this day. Some say you can’t count the cost, sadly you can and the numbers are very large. If you want to put it in perspective, just view the US Military Casualties of War Page on Wikipedia.
Amen brother.
One of the best things I’ve read all day Jack. It can get confusing with a billion different “days” but this one shouldn’t be confusing at all. Memorial Day is extremely special and the advice to just pause and think about those lives is great advice indeed. Our country has an amazing history, I’m so grateful for the people who were willing to put their lives at stake for the privilege we all have to be free.
Thanks
To mourn is human, to remember is holy.
We miss our son, and will never let him be forgotten.
It may also be appropriate to remember the innocent civilians of the countries we invade who are killed as collateral in all of the numerous US wars we wage. The loss those families feel are just as real as losing our own boys is to us- they didn’t even agree to fight sometimes and just got wasted by some drone strike- a true tragedy.
There is nothing in that comment I disagree with.
Very well said Jack.
Wonderful podcast service with some really usefull survival ideas. Just wondering is there a celebration day to honour those who march, lobby, and protest in there efforts to prevent wars. Wars seem such a waste of mankinds resourcs. Wealthy business owners and there puppet politions send poorer people from similar backgrounds to kill each other in the name of some cause or other. Lets remember the millions of innocent murdered in the middle east and in central/latin america by the US army and by the dictators they propped up in these countries
Listen to todays podcast on dogs there is a short segment near the beginning about this. I think you will find we do not disagree.
I live in Europe where even up to 25 yesrs ago the US was looked up to as a model of democracy protecting europe and the world from the evils and threat of invasion from the USSR. Most younger people in europe now see the US as the worlds biggest terror state, with soldiers in about 150 other countries, ready to murder and burn people alive anywhere with drone and aircraft strikes. It is widely believed in Europe that the US sells weapons to both sides in many of the worlds conflicts. The crimes brought in recent years which happend in central america during the ronald regan years in chillie, nicuraga, honduras etc and earlier in Argentina are very frightening.
Well Iran has F14s and C130s, where do you think those come from? We funded the Taliban, created them in fact, they were just using a different name and fighting the Russians.
We funded and created ISIS as well.
I deny none of this, it doesn’t change why men serve and what they believe they are doing.
The thing is it isn’t just the US, it is all the developed nations playing this game. The UK, Germany, France, they all have blood on their hands.
Good reply Jack, also excellent Podcast today on dogs, since I started listening to podcasts I dont watch TV any more, conventional media is too false and irelevent to my interests and needs in life. TV will be going to the recycling centre soon. Also I can do gardening and things whilelistening to podcasts at the same time, creating new time.