The unofficial start of summer, a three-day weekend for government employees, and an excuse for used car markdowns -- the last Monday in May is recognized in many ways in the United States. But above all, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who have died in
our nation's service.
Proclaimed on May 5, 1868 by General John Logan, Memorial Day
was first observed on May 30, 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of
Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington
National Cemetery. It is now celebrated in almost every State by the enactment of the National Holiday Act of
1971 (P.L. 90 - 363).
With its roots in the Civil War, Memorial Day is not about division. It is about
reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. However, traditional observance of Memorial
day has diminished over the years.
Many Americans have forgotten the
meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. The graves of the
fallen are increasingly ignored and neglected, flag etiquette is not followed. While there are towns and cities that still
hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Others have distorted the day as one for honoring any and all dead, not just those fallen in
service to our country.
In December 2000, the U.S. Congress and the President attempted to redirect the nation's attention to the true purpose of Memorial day and to ensure the sacrifices of America's
fallen heroes are never forgotten with the passage and signing into law of "The National Moment of Remembrance Act,"
P.L. 106-579. The law intended to "encourage the people of the United
States to give something back to their country, which provides them so much
freedom and opportunity" by encouraging and coordinating commemorations in the
United States of Memorial Day and the National Moment of Remembrance.
A Moment of Remembrance is a step in the right
direction toward a full return to
the original day of observance. While this gesture asks the American people to set aside one day out of the year to remember, reflect and honor those who have given
their all in service to their country, including the 4,049 American military members who have died since the beginning of our current conflict in Iraq, it does not address the survivors.
Flying a flag at half-staff, attending a parade or memorial service, and pausing for a moment of silence are all powerful symbolic ways to mark Memorial Day. But we should also challenge ourselves to do more than just the symbolic remembrance of those who have died; we can use the holiday as an occasion to ask what we can do to better support the survivors of conflict and the bereaved.
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