What Does Memorial Day Mean To You?

To those men and women who gave and give all with much respect.

Memorial Day 2010. What does this day mean to you? An extra day off work with pay.(if you are lucky).  The first holiday before the coming of Summer? Hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, drinks and all those BBQ goodies? This is what I thought when I was young. Just a holiday and school was out and we had a big picnic at the local swimming hole. I knew nothing of the true meaning of Memorial  Day.

Now that I am older and hopefully wiser the true meaning I know. I think of those who fought for our freedom(s). Those who fought in the Revolutionary War. Paul Reveres  ride as he shouted, 'The British are coming". We wanted freedom we did not want to be ruled by a Monarchy. We won the Revolutionary War and got our freedom, our democracy. Many lives lost for this freedom. May they rest in peace.

Some years later some people thought it was fine and such a grand idea to capture people from another country, bring them to America and sell them. Slavery was born.The North and the South. Yankees, Rebels, friends, family fought to their deaths to uphold their beliefs. So many Americans died in this, to me the worst of wars America fought-. The Civil War.. and why civil?
There was no civility! All the dead dying on their own homeland's soil. Such a sad thought.
Home should be safe. To those who died in this horrid war.. rest in peace.

America has been called upon by many nations to assist them in battle. And we are called the aggressors by many nations. Some of these wars in my opinion were not of our accord... but Democracy must be upheld and spread to each and every country or else it or they threaten our democracy. This is what I was taught in school.

The Japanese , sneaky they were, dropped a bomb one morning upon the beautiful Island of Hawaii on a sleepy Sunday morning .. how many were killed as they were just waking to begin their day on The USS Arizona? Was this a necessary war? My answer is, yes.
How many Americans gave  their lives? May they rest in peace.

Hitler decided to rule the world .. eliminate the Jewish people.. blondes with blue eyes were the chosen ones.. not literally of course but he wanted a 'new' race. How many died in those concentration camps?
Seperated  from loved ones.. children torn from mother's arms.. and all those shoes... all sizes... those shoes removed before going to "shower". Their last shower ever.. their bodies thrown into holes one a top the other. Why? So America and Americans fight .. a little too late to save
all the Jewish who were murdered, but there and in so many countries in Europe.. Americans laid down their lives to stop a short man with a mustache who was so it seems to me, a lunatic.
How many Americans died trying to stop this mad man and his allies?  Too many .. Was this a necessary war, yes I think so ...May they rest in peace.


There are other wars fought by Americans and for America.. I remember The Alamo.
Korea..so many..Then came a war that involved Americans only as advisers , trainers.
This was esculated into Vietnam ... The sixties.. make love not war.. But war won out.
America's men and women once more stood on foreign soil fighting in a jungle full of the enemy.
I would imagine many American's there were not really sure what it was all about.
They were trained to be killing machines in one of America's most unpopular wars.
Odd to refer to a war as unpopular..These men and women, young and old fought and died
only to be defeated...Only to be scorned by many Americans. No welcome home parades, no
respect from so very many... Finally they got a Wall .. all those names engraved on a stone ...
young and old all creeds, colors died to keep Communism from spreading ..
I feel they deserve much more than they got.. This was when the draft was in effect and do you think all of them wanted to fight an un-winnable war to come back, if they survived to angry
Americans? How many died, lost limbs, were taken prisoner? May they rest in peace.

Now we fight in Iraq and Afghanistan...to stop the terrorists.. search for Bin Laden..
Are these wars necessary? I think so .. I don't know.. but we cannot feel save with people
bombing buildings, planes .. any place.. and any place could be close to you/me.
Not as many casualties this is fought with 'smart bombs' ect.
May they rest in peace and all come home soon.. Please is my plea.

So it seems I have gained knowledge over the years to know what Memorial Day is really about.
Honoring those who gave their lives so we could all be free. Those who gave their lives to stop oppression. My Father fought and was proud .. I am proud of him and all of these men and women .. I respect them and love and pray for them ..Happy Memorial Day Weekend...
A somber day of remembrance  and love for all Americans and our allies who fought by our side so we can be free. May they rest in peace and know how much I respect and thank them , the living and the dead... Thank you.

I may have the WARS out of order.. but WARS are out of order..

Flanders Fields by
Lt. Col. John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
   That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
   Scarce heard amid the guns below.

   We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
   Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
         In Flanders fields.

   Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
   The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
   We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
         In Flanders fields.

Author's Note

just thoughts on this Holiday.. comedy of errors i am sure as i was going fast like i always do when i am writing something i feel strongly for .. and so i apologize.

Reviews

[Fabian G. Franklin]

It reminds me that 250,000 American men and women died trying to defeat communism and then the American government opened trade with the most powerful communist nation on earth and sold all our jobs and moved production facilities to China...just go and see how many items at Wal-Mart are marked Made in China... effectively making those deaths of all who fought to defeat communism in vain...they died for NOTHING. That's what it reminds me of.

[LeaflessTree]

A day to remind us that somewhere out there..... There's people who STILL DO ACTUALLY CARE. We sometimes forget the fact and lose our grasps on that. But thanks to al the people who do care and actually fight for something worht fighting for.

[TheFemininePad]

Memorial Day reminds me of my times at Recruit Training Command Great Lakes when I went into the U.S. Navy. I made some really great friends there, but some of them have died in combat while serving their country. I miss them a lot, and Memorial Day reminds me of their sacrifice to serve this country.

[Lily Mae]

I love this Chloe..your passion on this served you and your readers well.. Great write.. xx

[Chloe..Across the Unive..]

You are SO right Fabian - !

[An owl on the moon]

Thank you for bringing us the depth of these recollections... looking back over the years.. over the lives... those who were taken in the prime of their days.. There is an honesty here that awakens an awed sense of thanksgiving.. It is not just a day.. not just time off from labor.. It is a time to remember and let one's thoughts linger on love's true sacrifice. Powerful...

[Chris Smith Welshpoetcs]

Excellent Chloe, and ended with the wonderful Flander's fields. Where we need our soldiers, our heroes, they need not be sacrificed meanlessly. War is Hell my friend. We need to remember our heroes face that Hell for us, to keep us safe.

[Gomer LePoet]

great peice Chloe. sorry it took me so long to read it. you have written a very good tribute to the many men, women, children, soldiers. Americans.

[Coyote Poetry]

The poem "Flanders field and Trees by Sergeant Joyce Kilmer" are from WW1. Their words define the terrible violence and pain war leave with us. Another great one is Mark Twain "The War prayer." He requested the poem be published after his death. Memorial day had many reasons. We need to remember the past and hope it can make the future better.
Coyote