tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4381472662149763328.post5806473793846322347..comments2023-10-23T12:09:50.512-04:00Comments on Clergy Confidential: Please don't thank me on Memorial DayTim Schenckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913584491460599491noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4381472662149763328.post-36485031404624185402014-05-27T11:44:08.454-04:002014-05-27T11:44:08.454-04:00Memorial Day initially was a time to remember the ...Memorial Day initially was a time to remember the dead of the Civil War. I have always thought of it as a day remember our war dead not to thank a veteran for his or her service. We have the rest of the year for that. As a veteran of both the Korean and Vietnam wars, I am proud to accept the thanks of country for my service on Veterans Day, which was Armistice Day when I was a child. To me the "celebration" aspect of Memorial Day as the beginning of summer--cookouts, going to the beach, and shooting off fire works as they do in Kansas City, takes away from the solemnity of the day and the sadness of the cost of war.theowlpressnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4381472662149763328.post-4843164312476377832014-05-27T08:38:07.541-04:002014-05-27T08:38:07.541-04:00You're right (of course) people do confuse Mem...You're right (of course) people do confuse Memorial Day with Veterans Day. <br /><br />This year I got caught up in thinking about what, due to "modern warfare," constitutes "battle" and what does "fallen in battle" now look like? <br /><br />When I add to that the growing acknowledgement of military-related PTSD among veterans, I feel compelled to honor those whose battle wounds may not be immediately obvious and who have died by suicide as a result of those wounds.<br /><br />And thinking about that then compels me to thank veterans for serving because one day of <i>that</i> is not enough.<br /><br />I'm from the generational cohort that got mandatory conscription abolished. I now think we were wrong to do so.Meredith Gouldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16260267368064065843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4381472662149763328.post-49165065009432361992014-05-26T16:30:01.020-04:002014-05-26T16:30:01.020-04:00Au contraire, anonymous, it's the other way ar...Au contraire, anonymous, it's the other way around. It started as a way to honor the dead soldiers in the Union Army after the Civil Wary, and spread to 1)honoring anyone who has died and as Tim points out 2)honoring all veterans, living or dead. In church I heard it extended to anyone who had died in a war on either side. Theologically sound, but doesn't make much sense for a National holiday.FrauPnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4381472662149763328.post-75149820309566969942014-05-26T15:56:00.944-04:002014-05-26T15:56:00.944-04:00Where I grew up Memorial Day wasn't just about...Where I grew up Memorial Day wasn't just about the war dead. Custom was to put flowers on graves of family--I take this to indicate the growing militarization of our country.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4381472662149763328.post-58202368599688380542014-05-26T15:45:20.559-04:002014-05-26T15:45:20.559-04:00Memorial Day is a day to remember our war dead. Ye...Memorial Day is a day to remember our war dead. Yes, it is about loss, which we as a culture have a hard time acknowledging.<br />Rev. Lorna Williamsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4381472662149763328.post-67617822508996427392014-05-26T15:37:22.131-04:002014-05-26T15:37:22.131-04:00Met a veteran at lunch today who was quite frail a...Met a veteran at lunch today who was quite frail and probably not going to be out and about in November when it is cold and icy. Based on his story, he was probably born about 1927. I didn't wait to thank him for his service, and it gave his grandchildren and great-grands a chance to tell his story. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13753267263070195818noreply@blogger.com