[solvegas]

Today is Memorial Day, a day of rememberance about those who, in President's Lincoln words, have given the last full measure of devotion to their country. Kinda sad when I heard a moron salesman say " Happy Memorial Day ! " at a store here. Needless to say, I ain't buying shit from that asshole. Originally called Decoration Day, it began as a way to honor the fallen from the Civil War, America's bloodiest conflict, but changed to honor all veterans after WW1. Now unfortunately it means the begining of the summer season, barbeque day, and a day to goof off. Guess it's because relatively few americans have served in the armed forces and very few have actually fought and paid the price to keep the Republic free. So the emotional connection about the meaning of the day is not there. I'm getting depressed so I'll just end this post.

[DruulEmpire]

I'm not so sure any holiday is that successful at conveying what inspired it.  I mean, for crying out loud, take Christmas -- how much reflection on Christian teaching actually goes on then?  You would think the real St. Nicholas would be inspirational enough, but instead we get this jolly old elf.  More to the point, though, I think a holiday is reasonably successful if at the very least it exposes people to some good art.  I watched "Sergeant York" the other day, and I'm struck by how unassuming it is, no chest-thumping in it or anything like that, it's York simply trying to go about his life sensibly.  I like to think that Giunta, our latest Medal of Honor winner, could relate to that.  And "The Best Years of Our Lives" will be on tonight, I'm always a sucker for that.  Many will miss the point, but some won't.  That's about as good as it gets.

[3deroticer]

Some have look upon the 2 party system a continuance of the Union and Confederates. I look back at a country that was once divided and lynch mob going on right after the civil war. The memorial or declaration day was an exercise for American to renew their purpose for the country to stay together. The nation needed that day to move forward to healing. To me this day was all about the healing process.

[pedonbio]

Actually, 3d, like most things it was more complicated. It was first observed by Confederates during the Civil War, beginning in 1863. After the war the G.A.R., the Northern veteran's association, decided to start observing May 30 in 1868. New York made it a state holiday in 1873 and by 1890 all the Northern states were observing it, which pissed off the Southern states enough that they quit observing it, and picked a variety of different days to observe as Confederate Memorial Day. As solvegas pointed out, it was made a national holiday after World War One, though most of the states of the former Confederacy went on with their separate observations. The most common day for those is April 26.

The irony of all that is that prior to the Civil War most of the states observed a day of mourning for the dead; virtually all other societies have such a day, but the United States has long since abandoned the practice. Around here if you don't get killed in a war, it doesn't count. Like the Klingons.

[3deroticer]

Actually, 3d, like most things it was more complicated. It was first observed by Confederates during the Civil War, beginning in 1863. After the war the G.A.R., the Northern veteran's association, decided to start observing May 30 in 1868. New York made it a state holiday in 1873 and by 1890 all the Northern states were observing it, which pissed off the Southern states enough that they quit observing it, and picked a variety of different days to observe as Confederate Memorial Day. As solvegas pointed out, it was made a national holiday after World War One, though most of the states of the former Confederacy went on with their separate observations. The most common day for those is April 26.

The irony of all that is that prior to the Civil War most of the states observed a day of mourning for the dead; virtually all other societies have such a day, but the United States has long since abandoned the practice. Around here if you don't get killed in a war, it doesn't count. Like the Klingons.

Hah! that is so interesting. I thought Christmas was one of the holiday that piss off those that celebrate a pagan holiday. So the northerner hijack the southern special day on the calendar.

Anyone notice how many civil war document are being shown on cable this week?

[solvegas]

Anyone notice how many civil war document are being shown on cable this week?

Considering the War between the States began 150 years ago ( the sesquincentenial ) and people are still digesting the significance of that cataclismic event, not surprised at all. When you realize more Americans died in the Civil War than all other wars combined, including the Indian wars, the banana wars and all the very minor conflicts americans have forgotten ( how many remember the Phillipine insurrection ? ) the Civil War is, after the war of independence itself, the most significant event of all and there are historians who will argue it even supercedes the Revolutionary War itself. It still reverberates, especially in the South. I remember when my sister got married to my brother in law, who is from Michigan, my maternal Grandmother, whose grandad fought in the Texas batallion of the Army of Nothern Virginia,  said out of earshot from my sister, " Damn, she's marrying a Yankee ! "  . It was bad enough my mother had married a Mexican ( Remember the Alamo ! ) but now the grandaughter married a ... damn yankee. The indignity of it all.   

[pedonbio]

( how many remember the Phillipine insurrection ? )

Solvegas, I am as much a product of my heritage as you are of yours. One reason for my incorrigible pacifism is that I've had relations in every bloodletting the country has participated in at least since the War of 1812. Which is my way of saying that I recall the Phillipine Insurrection (Or, as Jose Rizal called it, the War of Phillipine Suppression) partly because my paternal grandfather lost his left eye in that particular scrape.

[solvegas]

Guess I'll get on my soapbox and pontificate on something that annoys the hell out of me even though most people probably don't give a shit. WTF do they mean " Happy Memorial Day " ?  Memorial Day, originally know as Decoration Day, is a day for rememberance and to take stock of those who, as President Lincoln stated on the Gettysburg address, " have given the last full measure of devotion "  to the country. As far as I am concerned, Congress did a terrible dis-service when it made the last monday in May the day to reflect on those who have paid the ultimate price for the republic. It should have been left alone on the 31st of May just like the 4th of July. So we don't have a three day weekend so that stores may sell more crap we probably don't need or some slob somewhere can get on the BBQ and drink Schlitz. I'm listening on the radio and seeing on the TV  " Happy Memorial day ! " and thinking do these idiots go to a funeral and celebrate with beer and fireworks ?  I served twenty years in Uncle Sam's canoe club and lucky for me we only drilled for war, not actually fight it. The last great fleet action the US Navy has fought was at the Battle of Leyte gulf in 1944. But I 've always respected those who have and to cheapen their sacrifice and those of their dead comrades is very saddening.  Anyways, you may all proceed forward and let this Veteran rant a little.

[pedonbio]

Solvegas, you really do look for things to get pissed about.

Historically Memorial Day has been a state holidy; it was not made federal until 1967. And historically it was celebrated on May 30, not May 31. You may find this to be the only issue upon which you agree with Senator Daniel Inouye:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_Day

[Carter]

This has been a problem for awhile, and not just with Memorial Day. I've also heard people say Happy Ramadan, which makes no sense either.

[DruulEmpire]

Eh, I take sol's point a little -- even though I wouldn't jump all over anyone who says it, for the simple reason that it's way too easy to fall into the "Happy Whatever" formula and I'm not sure anyone HAS ever figured out a truly proper greeting.

I chalk my attitude up to living in perhaps the most Jewish neighborhood in all Western Pennsylvania.  Saying Happy Memorial Day feels a little like saying Happy Yom Kippur.

(PS: Cheviot!  Hi!)

also: Zorro, thank you -- and thank you.

At the heart of all this, it still seems we could use a better saying.  I'm open to suggestions.

[solvegas]

Just so you guys know, I have not jumped on anyone nor corrected anyone or try a piss contest about it. I've internalized and, with the exception of other Veterans, have not discussed it. I was only ranting here because I needed an outlet outside of the Veterans circle. Thanks for the correction pedonbio, that is what happens when you are angry and are just not checking your typing closely. I understand most people saying " Happy Memorial day ! " are not maliscious but can't we educate them about the proper meaning and etiquette of the day ?

[Zorro]

I have to agree with Solvegas on this one. I also served in the U.S. Navy however I only gave 10 years of my life to it.

All the commercialism toward Memorial Day had been going on before I enlisted in 1971. Most folks have the cookout and other festivities on this day, so it is not something that had only been going on recently.

In the 90's when I joined the VFW I also became active in 2 different Honor Guards. In the 5 or so years I participated I did, on the average of about 10 funerals each year and also was in Memorial Day services at Fair Park in Dallas, TX.

After I moved to Florida I did not do the Honor Guard functions anymore, but I still would go to Memorial Day functions plus visit my dad, who was a WW2 veteran.

Memorial Day now has a special meaning for me after my father died in 2007.

The little "sailor" in this picture taken in 1924 is my dad.  


Zorro, I'm very sorry, but the BEA's owner allows absolutely no images of children in the forum, so we have to remove this one even though it's meaningful to you and to us. No rule violation will be recorded.

[pedonbio]

Zorro, having a number of pictures of my father at about that age, it is clear to me that the obsession with having children smile in photos is a fairly recent development.

BTW, great colorizing job. Yours?

[pedonbio]

There is a comparison, perhaps, complicated by the use of different calendars, in Holocaust Memorial Day. Most countries (including the United Nations) mark it on January 27, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz in 1945* by the Red Army. As you may note here:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocaust_Memorial_Day, there are two groups of people who do not observe it on that date: The liberators and the liberated.

---
*--My mother calculated that this was probably the date I was conceived. I have no idea what significance that may have.