Memorial Day May 29, 2006
copyright © Bob Culbertson 2006
Let Us Remember those who so bravely gave their lives so we can be free
Memorial Day May 29, 2006
copyright © Bob Culbertson 2006
It used to be called Decoration Day. In the years after the Civil War, townspeople remembered the fallen by decorating each gravesite with a flag. Over the years this tradition, held annually on May 30th, evolved into what we call Memorial Day. And today it remains a part of our year, not only as one of our nation´s oldest holidays, but also one of its most important.
America loves holidays. And none are so poignant as those that recall our heritage, its glory and its sacrifices. Our nation was born of liberty and the pursuit of it, and throughout our history, regular citizens from towns in every state have stepped up to protect it.
It is because of these everyday heroes that we celebrate Memorial Day: to commemorate the selflessness and sacrifice of those upon whose very lives rests the foundation of freedom. That is why 230 years into this remarkable odyssey of ours we still place flags on veterans´ gravesites, we still make speeches in the town square, we still recount the battles and we still pay silent and public tribute to those who stepped well beyond the lines of fear, doubt and self-preservation to give us security and prosperity.
More than a million men and women have given their lives to protect America´s freedom. In their honor, we have constructed beautiful memorials across the country to ensure every hero´s legacy is remembered.
At Pearl Harbor, close to 1,200 (Peyton: The 2,400 you referenced was the number killed overall in the attack on Pearl; the memorial wall carries only 1,177 names of those who perished just on the Arizona) names are inscribed on a marble wall AMVETS had installed at the USS Arizona Memorial.
At the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., more than 58,000 names are inscribed in the polished black granite. At the National World War II Memorial, 4,000 gold stars represent 400,000 who gave the last full measure of devotion.
It is both fitting and proper that we honor our fallen with such tributes. But elaborate walls, precious metals and moving speeches can never repay the debt we owe those who died. We must remember, especially today, that behind each of these names and each of these stars was an American hero who gave his or her life for their country.
And so it is with those who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. We must continue to remind ourselves that they too are sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers. They all had dreams left to fulfill in this life, but they put them aside to protect the freedoms of those they´d never met . . . those like you and me.
It is up to us, the living, to uphold their legacy with respect, reverence and heartfelt gratitude. All too often, we as Americans forget the responsibility we have to keep the memory of those brave men and women alive. All too often, we forget how fortunate we are to live in a democracy where there is no fear of oppression.
We are a nation blessed with many privileges. But, as Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said, “Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them.’
As we commemorate Memorial Day, we do so, not only in the spirit of remembrance, but also with the intention of extending our appreciation to all who have sacrificed to protect our freedoms over the years.
Because of them, America remains truly the home of the free and the land of the brave.
Keywords:Memorial Day, freedom,
Bob Culbertson
