I think the tradition of honoring servicemen is an important, more so considering how our government treats many of out returning veterans (abominably) when they return.
I don’t agree with waging political campaigns on those who have served on Memorial Day, but I do stand by the right of anyone who chooses to protest the policy of war on such a day.
I was reading through one of those blog newspapers, following a link from Lorelle ( whom I read all the time in order to keep my blog from becoming too much of a disaster – one of these days I may even follow her advice), when I came upon an article about how bloggers got it wrong on memorial day. They wouldn’t except my comment and considering I got a few emails expressing the same sentiment I’ll comment here.
It should be noted that Memorial Day was originally set aside, in 1950, by a joint act of Congress as a “Day to pray for Peace”. Prior to that there were a variety of days which honored soldiers, this specific holiday, though traditionally spend honoring the fallen, was not intended to be but a day of prayer for peace. Somewhere along the line the two sort of merged.
So, to all those who stood up for peace, or prayed for a policy peace, on this day, it is not only acceptable, it is quite appropriate.
Don’t Let anyone try to tell you otherwise.
We certainly should honor those who have fallen, the best way to do that from my point of view is to
stop it from happening again, and again, and again.
Far be it for me to suggest that it would be nice to have to honor fewer fallen.
addendum: John did a post on Giving to Our Veterans which I just caught as I wasn’t a scrolling too much this weekend.
Give often, give local.
Peace
Are there really people out there making judgments on what to write, as if they are somehow an authority on what is right and wrong?
Funny.
I worked memorial day, I think I got it right. ;)
I think my grandfather would have loved the DKM video and the song.
Maybe not the video, but the song for sure.
ha, ha
The song sung by someone else you mean?
I pay so little attention to OPP (Other People’s Pieties) that I can’t really complain when someone complains about me. The deal is, I’ll say what I want to and if Blogherald dude wants to say I’m a bad blogger he should go right ahead. He might feel better after writing that post and I sure don’t feel any worse.
You are such a renegade.
Wait….
You don’t pay attention to my pieties?
Which actually makes me want to draw a picture of a very short tie, the short sort made for men who wear ties while participating in a pie eating contests.
I respect pie.
.
Me thinks you need to stick to reading how to make your blog pretty – which is what I assume you were doing reading that other blog – your content speaks for itself and it is far batter than most.
Not to mention continual design flux is scintillating.
I don’t think you’ve ever thrown a link my way before – gracias.
The idea came from a post you did once about “bad charities”.
I’m sure I must have thrown a link before but….
but yes I am always reading about how to make my blog pretty and easily to navigate….
I am nothing but a slave to the readers here.
My Dad fought in Vietnam, so I’ve always respected those who fought. Even though my dad refused to discuss it, or even watch any war movies about it, he made it well known about the discipline he had gained from his service.
In other news…
This week hearings go on for yet another terrifying act of crime by Black Water, killing more innocent children & victims….Unlike the military, when they (BW) makes a mistake (many so far) our current Leading Government just says:”Oops…” like it’s no big deal.
We all respect the men, though we all do not respect the policies behind the wars.
A day for peace, huh? Does that include inner peace? Because I sure could use some of that now.
Um, just one slight beef here…
Where the heck did you get the bit about Memorial Day was somehow established in 1950?
Sure, in an effort to combat the wicked, no-goodnik Commies, well, the Red Scare Chickenhawks of the U.S. Congress pushed through a religious tie to the holiday, which started out as a secular Civil War Union veterans observance. It’s been a May tradition since 1868, in various forms, eventually expanding to cover all veterans, including those on both sides of that conflict, WWI and II.
Actually, it was the turning Memorial Day into a three-day-weekend, paid-day-off for the middle class, as a means of getting votes, the politicizing of a veteran-created holiday into a marketing tool, that, yeah, probably got it wrong first, way before the Blogosphere ever existed.
I mean, just being honest here, but criticizing someone else for saying bloggers got it wrong on Memorial Day by, well, getting the history wrong.
I mean, well, hell… the whole Pray for Peace thing? The President issues those very same proclamations authorized by the law you’re citing. So I guess even the most anti-war pacifist bloggers are just doing God (and Dubya’s) will, playing the same game that Joe McCarthy and his minions started.
I do think bloggers, particularly those with political agendas and other policy axes to grind, do take things too far at times, but, well, people say the same about me – it’s a free country, after all, despite what our lovely politicians try to strip from us…
And what we strip form ourselves.
That’s the thing hey? We respect the people not the policies. And then get attacked by the policy people…
Peace to you all. Peace mission not accomplished…
I hope you are well and I’m thinking of your difficulties there is South Africa.
Peace, that ugly old word eh?
I love your blog and love all the changes. actually look forward to them. But would read it if it was plain Blogger without anything embellishing it
The best way of honoring those who died in the service our country–or now who sadly live without any quality of life, is making sure wars fought for ego don’t ever happen again
Have been listening so much to McCains reasoning and comparisons between Iraq and Viet Nam I don’t make much sense
Heard last night many people consider the disgraceful Ford helicoptering people out of Nam in 75 as an “honorable” end to a bad war
There was nothing honorable about Viet Nam or its end and the same goes for now
Without a draft–which I’m not for–we’re deploying the same people over and over again. Men and women who should be in the beginning or beginning middle or even middle of prime earning years, prime children years, prime life years
If praying for peace helps achieve it through the miracle of prayer–which is miracle to me–or by speaking about praying for peace then I’m for it
It is one of those things we always seem to walk on eggshells about . Bullshit holidays honoring people we trample on and treat poorly the rest of the year…
I love the vibrancy of your commenter’s
I’m not much on political agendas but I am all for saying w you want on any given day. Otherwise what’s the point.
Vibrancy?
I am astonished at your new found colorful use of language. You’re right though.
You’re right, no point, otherwise.