memorial day
This day, originally called Decoration Day, was started after the War Between the States, to commemorate both Union and Confederate dead. Today, we commemorate all those who fought and died in war.
No recriminations, no ranking of "good" and "bad" wars, no critique of the policies those soldiers were executing: it was never intended that way (couldn't have been, at the beginning), and shouldn't be that way. On other days, we vow to hold our leaders responsible for the decisions they make in sending soldiers to war; on other days, we discuss the ins and outs, and ifs, of previous wars.
But today, it is enough to gather the dead soldiers and remember them, and the families they left behind, the careers they left empty, the songs left unwritten.
No recriminations, no ranking of "good" and "bad" wars, no critique of the policies those soldiers were executing: it was never intended that way (couldn't have been, at the beginning), and shouldn't be that way. On other days, we vow to hold our leaders responsible for the decisions they make in sending soldiers to war; on other days, we discuss the ins and outs, and ifs, of previous wars.
But today, it is enough to gather the dead soldiers and remember them, and the families they left behind, the careers they left empty, the songs left unwritten.
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