Memorial Day Considerations
Well Folks,
Today is Memorial Day.
According to Wikipedia :
"Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday that is observed on the last Monday of May. It was formerly known as Decoration Day. This holiday commemorates U.S. men and women who died in military service for their country. It began first to honor Union soldiers who died during the American Civil War. After World War I, it expanded to include those who died in any war or military action. One of the longest standing traditions is the running of the Indianapolis 500."
It seems to me that this day should give us pause to ACTUALLY consider those “U.S. men and women who died in military service for their country.”
What I see on TV and read in the papers may “commemorate,” but does not “consider” them. What I have observed is closer to cheerleading for war. As the encyclopedia entry says, the holiday was created in the wake of the Civil War but was later expanded to include EVERY war or military action.
Now, people can disagree over which wars were “good” or “bad,” but only an idiot would say they were all good. So, it behooves us to consider WAR itself as we consider those men and women who served and survived, those who survived but were maimed in the process, and those who were killed in wars.
It is not enough to trot out celebrities and musical acts before the capitol steps to extol patriotism. Waving the flag may be more important in some quarters than the lives and health of altruistic and impressionable young people who willingly go off to kill and be killed; but I can’t believe that patriotism trumps the love we have for our children.
Patriotism plays a role in every death-dealing conflict – on BOTH sides- and so do our children; but while both sides swear that THEIR side (as opposed to the “enemy”) has God, honor, truth, and justice (and sometimes “democracy”) on its side; both sides clearly do have fathers and mothers with children in jeopardy, who were put there by “patriotic” leaders.
It seems to me that Fathers and Mothers who fail to consider the nature of the war in which their children are entangled also fail their children – and future generations as well.
It pains me to say it, but parents who have lost children in ill-advised, unnecessary wars; in wars waged for ignoble or stupid reasons; who nevertheless insist on praising the black-hearted beasts responsible for their child’s suffering or death, are fools. Worse, they are enablers for the deaths of other people’s children as well.
Under these circumstances, comments such as “We support our leader because to do otherwise would mean our child died in vain” are understandable but despicable just the same. A leader should be supported for being right – not to salve the consciences of politically complicit parents with the blood of even more young men and women killed for nothing.
And this applies universally. The insane parents of suicide bombers have the same mentality. They, too, listen to their leaders and send off their children to kill and be killed – with God on their side.
So, on this Memorial Day let us truly consider War – and THIS war particularly - along with the consideration of the “men and women who died in military service for their country.”
If you love your children, you will.
If you love your country, you will as well.
Nothing short of that will EVER slow the numbers of those who truly do die in vain.
- Uke Man
Today is Memorial Day.
According to Wikipedia :
"Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday that is observed on the last Monday of May. It was formerly known as Decoration Day. This holiday commemorates U.S. men and women who died in military service for their country. It began first to honor Union soldiers who died during the American Civil War. After World War I, it expanded to include those who died in any war or military action. One of the longest standing traditions is the running of the Indianapolis 500."
It seems to me that this day should give us pause to ACTUALLY consider those “U.S. men and women who died in military service for their country.”
What I see on TV and read in the papers may “commemorate,” but does not “consider” them. What I have observed is closer to cheerleading for war. As the encyclopedia entry says, the holiday was created in the wake of the Civil War but was later expanded to include EVERY war or military action.
Now, people can disagree over which wars were “good” or “bad,” but only an idiot would say they were all good. So, it behooves us to consider WAR itself as we consider those men and women who served and survived, those who survived but were maimed in the process, and those who were killed in wars.
It is not enough to trot out celebrities and musical acts before the capitol steps to extol patriotism. Waving the flag may be more important in some quarters than the lives and health of altruistic and impressionable young people who willingly go off to kill and be killed; but I can’t believe that patriotism trumps the love we have for our children.
Patriotism plays a role in every death-dealing conflict – on BOTH sides- and so do our children; but while both sides swear that THEIR side (as opposed to the “enemy”) has God, honor, truth, and justice (and sometimes “democracy”) on its side; both sides clearly do have fathers and mothers with children in jeopardy, who were put there by “patriotic” leaders.
It seems to me that Fathers and Mothers who fail to consider the nature of the war in which their children are entangled also fail their children – and future generations as well.
It pains me to say it, but parents who have lost children in ill-advised, unnecessary wars; in wars waged for ignoble or stupid reasons; who nevertheless insist on praising the black-hearted beasts responsible for their child’s suffering or death, are fools. Worse, they are enablers for the deaths of other people’s children as well.
Under these circumstances, comments such as “We support our leader because to do otherwise would mean our child died in vain” are understandable but despicable just the same. A leader should be supported for being right – not to salve the consciences of politically complicit parents with the blood of even more young men and women killed for nothing.
And this applies universally. The insane parents of suicide bombers have the same mentality. They, too, listen to their leaders and send off their children to kill and be killed – with God on their side.
So, on this Memorial Day let us truly consider War – and THIS war particularly - along with the consideration of the “men and women who died in military service for their country.”
If you love your children, you will.
If you love your country, you will as well.
Nothing short of that will EVER slow the numbers of those who truly do die in vain.
- Uke Man
2 Comments:
Hi Tom -
So well put - so very well put -
Just wait until you see Bob Herbert's column I sent you from today's NYTimes -
Once again, he makes so much sense - in a country that is part of a world that is so out of control -
How many more coffins WON'T we get to see coming back from - as Steve Earle puts it - 'the rich mans' war'
Phyll
Hi Tom,
This is excellent. So many have died in this war in Iraq and so many have been injured physically and mentally. And that's just from this country. What a terrible waste of humanity. How can Bush show his face today - and at the Arlington Cemetery. Words can't express my anger aimed at him. Thanks for writing this post. Sondra
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