Memorial Day

[Grammy]

Lets all remind those around us what the true meaning of Memorial Day this weekend and remember it is just not another day off or day to have a bbq. Please remember the service members that have given the ultimate sacrifice. Found a good video I hope it works.
Jim

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK0T4pVH ... r_embedded

[longtooth]

Avery good one.
LT

[gemini]

Thanks for the vid. I decided sometime ago to fly my flag everyday, weather permitting.
If you normally only put your flag out on holidays..... please fly your flag this weekend
starting today! Have a nice weekend.

[WildBill]

The Young Dead Soldiers

The young dead soldiers do not speak. Nevertheless, they are heard in the still houses: who has not heard them?

They have a silence that speaks for them at night and when the clock counts.

They say: We were young. We have died. Remember us.

They say: We have done what we could but until it is finished it is not done.

They say: We have given our lives but until it is finished no one can know what our lives gave.

They say: Our deaths are not ours: they are yours, they will mean what you make them.

They say: Whether our lives and our deaths were for peace and a new hope or for nothing we cannot say,
it is you who must say this.

We leave you our deaths. Give them their meaning.

We were young, they say. We have died; remember us.

Archibald MacLeish,
1892-1982, American Poet

[USA1]

This weekend we, as in the United States, will be observing Memorial Day. Many of us will be spending the day with family, friends and our body weight in beer and barbecue, and may not even stop to think why it is that we have the day off to begin with. Here is a brief and partial history of the Memorial Day holiday according to USMemorialDay.org:

There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women’s groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, “Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping” by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication “To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead” (Source: Duke University’s Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo, N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it’s difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860’s tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 – 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays)…

Which is where this weekend comes in. It’s Memorial Day and whether you choose to spend it in solemn observance, festive gatherings, big sales or family vacations is up to you. That’s called freedom and Memorial Day honors those that gave everything to make it happen.

It’s something to stop and think about.

Source: http://www.uptake.com/blog/holiday-fest ... z0pEQ94NFA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[bdickens]

If only the Criminal-in-Chief felt the same way

[cougartex]

To all the veterans, thank you.

[Kevinf2349]

Remember to fly your flag at half staff until after noon, then hoist it to full staff.

[gemini]

Our flag went up earlier than usual this morning. Beautiful morning.
Our church had a short video presentation honoring our military and
the price that's been paid for our freedom(s). To simply say it was moving,
would be a gross understatement. Thanks to all that have served, and to
those that gave everything.

[Big Ben]

Such great posts. Especially the vid on the OP.

Thank you brave men and women who put yourself in harms way to preserve the freedoms that we hold so dear. God bless you and your families.
To all the families that have lost loved ones in the line of duty I offer the prayer that you may find comfort and peace in the knowledge that your loved one will always be honored and remembered as a true HERO!

God Bless you and God Bless America!

Everyone have a safe Memorial Day.

[ahogo]

[Skiprr]

I have some relatives in Houston National Cemetery, and don't live too far from it. It's a big place; only about 30 acres smaller than Arlington National.

Several years ago, I started a personal tradition without realizing I'd done so. This morning, promptly at 8:00 a.m., three friends and I were at the Cemetery.

The notion is: take flowers; spend some time on the grounds acknowledging the meaning of the day; and then randomly select a grave that has no flowers or adornment...meaning it's probable no one has visited, at least not since the previous Thursday when the groundskeepers do their once-per-week clean-up.

Very hot day. The flowers won't last long. But the idea is the recognition, by a total stranger, of an individual veteran's service.

[USA1]

Several years ago, I started a personal tradition without realizing I'd done so. This morning, promptly at 8:00 a.m., three friends and I were at the Cemetery.

The notion is: take flowers; spend some time on the grounds acknowledging the meaning of the day; and then randomly select a grave that has no flowers or adornment...meaning it's probable no one has visited, at least not since the previous Thursday when the groundskeepers do their once-per-week clean-up.

Very hot day. The flowers won't last long. But the idea is the recognition, by a total stranger, of an individual veteran's service.

Very Nice.

[driver8]

We did almost the same thing at Punchbowl a few years back. My wife and I both have uncles buried there (both WW2) . We have been to Hawaii 6 times and always go to Punchbowl but only once on Memorial Day. Crowd was awful but it was still worth it.

[jester]

God bless our troops. Past, present and future.