AMERICANS, TAKE THE TIME TO REMEMBER.Byline: Joseph Staub THIS Memorial Day, I will be reflecting on three things throughout the day. First, my father, who won a Bronze Star Bronze Star n. A U.S. military decoration awarded either for heroism or for meritorious achievement in ground combat. Noun 1. while commanding a tank under Gen. Patton during World War II. An extremely kind and gentle man, he was nevertheless proud of the time he spent, as he once put it, ``teaching the Nazis a hard lesson.'' It was he who first taught me what Memorial Day was all about. I remember the look in his eyes as he recited the names of his comrades who didn't make it home; men now buried in the fields of France, Luxembourg and Germany. Second, I will be thinking of all the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in their country's service. I'll be thinking about these people when I lay a flower at some military memorial. The more neglected the memorial, the better. It's appalling how many war memorials in Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, have been largely forgotten. They're everywhere They're Everywhere is an episode of The WB drama series, Charmed. Synopsis Prue and Piper give in to their fears that the men in their lives may be Warlocks and cast a mind-reading spell to find out the truth. - a plaque here, a commemorative stone there - and they all should have a flower laid in front of them today. Third, and most unfortunate, I will be thinking about how many Americans don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. the customs and traditions of Memorial Day. I mean the real customs and traditions of the holiday, not the ones involving beer coolers and barbecues. We Americans pride ourselves on our ability to celebrate and have a good time. We're experts at entertaining ourselves. However, for the sake of our national soul, we need to do better at the more somber occasions. Perhaps if we tempered our frenetic fre·net·ic or phre·net·ic also fre·net·i·cal or phre·net·i·cal adj. Wildly excited or active; frantic; frenzied. [Middle English frenetik, from Old French frenetique pursuit of happiness with more consideration of life and liberty - and those who gave them up for us - we would come closer to being what this nation is supposed to be. Perhaps if, as a nation, we gave ourselves over to periods of appropriate solemnity SOLEMNITY. The formality established by law to render a contract, agreement, or other act valid. 2. A marriage, for example, would not be valid if made in jest, and without solemnity. Vide Marriage, and Dig. 4, 1, 7; Id. 45, 1, 30. now and then, our collective experience of joy would be greater. How do we be more appropriately solemn? How do we more appropriately observe Memorial Day? One way is to commemorate those for whom this day is reserved. No matter how good the intentions, on this day commemorating anyone other than our war dead is unseemly. Since its inception, this day was exclusively for reflecting on and remembering those who have fallen in America's wars. Memorial Day, then called Decoration Day Decoration Day: see Memorial Day. , was originated in 1868 by order of Gen. John Logan John Logan or Johnny Logan is a name shared amongst the following:
Memorial Day must be observed in the spirit in which it was born. It is not a day for living veterans; that's Veterans Day, Nov. 11. Nor is it a day for those currently serving in the military; that's Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May. On those days, it is right and proper to honor those people who have served, and are serving, respectively. To honor them on Memorial Day, however, detracts from the honor due our dead. Memorial Day is also not for the memorializing of fallen police officers. With all due respect, doing so is most improper. Police have had their own day, Peace Officers Memorial Day, every May 15 since 1962, when it was decreed so by Congress. Those who have laid down their lives for law enforcement deserve a day for their memory alone, not mixed in with anyone else's. Another important way to properly observe Memorial Day is through correct display of the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. flag. On this day as many should be displayed as possible. The flag etiquette for Memorial Day is that the flag is first raised to the top of the flagpole, then immediately lowered to half-staff until noon. For those flags flown from an angled pole, a strip of black cloth neatly tied to the top of the pole serves to signify mourning. Conducting ourselves in the proper manner on Memorial Day, and taking the trouble to correctly display the flag under which they served, shows we remember the sacrifices made by those who died, and that (along with taking care of their families) is all our military personnel have ever asked of us. CAPTION(S): Photo: no caption (U.S. Flag) |
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