Memorial Day – US Honoring the Fallen

Holidays honoring military in the United States occurred several times during the year. Most holidays that started with good intentions end up being sales days. Some days are celebrated with parades. Many people observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries and memorials. The Indianapolis 500 an auto race is held in conjunction with Memorial Day since 1911. Since 1961 the Coca-Cola 600 stock car race has been held. The Memorial Tournament golf event occurred near the Memorial Day weekend since 1976. Families enjoy the National Memorial Day Concert which takes place on the west lawn of the United States Capitol.

The name for the holiday steadily changed from Decoration Day to Memorial Day. In 1968, the Congress passed the Uniform Holidays Bill, which moved Memorial Day from its traditional dates to the last Monday in order to create a convenient three-day weekend. The change moved Memorial Day from its traditional May 30 date to the last Monday in May. This weekend we celebrate Memorial Day, and it happens to fall on Monday, May 30, 2011.

In 1915, motivated by the poem "In Flanders Fields," Moina Michael wrote a poem.   She dreamed up the idea to wear red poppies on Memorial Day in honor of individuals who died serving the nation during war.

We cherish too, the Poppy red

That grows on fields where valor led,

It seems to signal to the skies

That blood of heroes never dies.

 

Everyone does not honor the dead military for their service and sacrifice. The Supreme Court ruled March 2011 that the First Amendment protects fundamentalist church members of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, KN, who mount annoying, anti-homosexual protests outside military funerals.  What an oxymoron since the military is not really in favor of homosexuality.  But in the United States the good Christian people of Westboro Church are entitled to ‘special protection’ under the First Amendment,” Justice John Roberts wrote, “and that protection cannot be overcome by a jury finding that the picketing was outrageous.  Westboro Baptist Church pickets military funerals in their pursuit to media coverage to their rabble-rousing view that American deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq are God’s punishment for the nation’s tolerance of homosexuality.

In the article, The Rapture aside, America's evangelical Christians deserve a little respect,  “the Westboro Baptist Church’s nonsense, distracts from the innumerable benefits that evangelical culture has brought to American life.” Many are feeling really bad Westboro did not disappear with the rapture along with Camping.  These groups do give Christians a bad name and tarnishes the good works performed like, prison ministries, hospital visits, youth groups, and help for abused women/children.  There are evangelical Christians that give comfort and support to the military and their families.

As reported in the news, The Rev. Kenton Van Cheney United Methodist Church Topeka, Kansas: “No family should have to face this type of hatred on the day that they’re putting their loved one to rest.” A veteran and a pastor, Rev. Van Cheney and the Patriot Guard Riders began in Kansas in 2005 as a response to protestors attending military funerals. The pastor was one of the original members. Hundreds of bikers, many of them veterans, assemble at military funerals as invited guests.  With their bikes and their bodies, they form a defense between protestors and grieving families. Their engines and patriotic music drown out the Westboro chanting.

So in the end, Memorial Day is more than sales, the first holiday of summer or ignorant protestors.  Memorial Day happens every day a service member is honored.  Memorial Day happens every day respect is given to the dead soldier.  Volunteers serve because they want to ensure each veteran gets a proper final salute.  It's a thank you for giving years of life in service to this country, no matter the length of time.  They all deserve this honor.

Today we honor the military and salute their service.

 May we always remember that serving one’s country

 Is the ultimate expression of love

 For family, friends and neighbors.