Reflecting on Memorial Day 2020
Jon Condit
|
Today we honor and remember our service members who have given their lives protecting and securing our freedom.
Memorial Day originally began after the Civil War in 1868 and was known as Decoration Day. It was held on May 3oth as that date was not related to any particular battle. As such it was not meant to be a day to politicize the loss of life, but quite simply a day to honor their memories and remember their sacrifices. The first observance of Decoration Day reminds us of that fact when General James Garfield gave his speech at Arlington Cemetery and joined attendees in placing memorials at Union and Confederate graves alike.
Though Memorial Day started initially as a way to remember our fallen during the Civil War, after World War 1 our nation decided that we should recognize all members of the US military who laid down their lives in service of our nation. A decade or so later the country would then pass the Uniform Monday Holiday act moving the date to the last Monday of May as we now observe it.
Today is a day of reflection. It’s the reminder that there is a human cost in war, it’s meant to give us pause, a moment for each one of us to consider if it is worth the cost the next time around. Memorial Day is a reminder that we need to carry these memories and sacrifices into the future, to learn from our mistakes, to do better.
Categorized:News
