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The True Meaning of Memorial Day

On May 5, 1868, Gen. John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Northern Civil War veterans, called for a nationwide day of remembrance to take place later that month. “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land,” he proclaimed. The date of Decoration Day, as he called it, was chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle.

Decoration Day was originally honored all those lost in the Civil War but eventually evolved into Memorial Day. During World War I it evolved again when it was designated as a time to honor all American war dead.

For decades, Memorial Day continued to be observed on May 30, the date Logan had selected for the first Decoration Day. But in 1968 Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May in order to create a three-day weekend for federal employees; the change went into effect in 1971. The same law also declared Memorial Day a federal holiday.

Somewhere along the line Memorial Day became about placing flowers on everyone’s grave and about barbecuing and the first long weekend of camping season. I’m not going to say whether that’s right or wrong, but I would like people to remember the veterans who gave their lives in defense of our country, or to free the people of a foreign land from oppression and tyranny.

No matter what you think of America’s involvement in recent wars and conflicts, or what you think of our politicians, our military deserves our respect. Everyone that has ever served has done so knowing they may have to make the ultimate sacrifice. Without those sacrifices our country would be a vastly different place. A place where we may not be able to freely express our opinions or afford the meat for our Memorial Day BBQ.

There’s a saying that goes “The flag does not fly because the wind moves passed it, it flies from the last breath of each military member who has died protecting it.”

So this Memorial Day while you’re placing flowers on your relative’s grave, look for a veteran’s grave marker and place a flower on it or just stand there in silence for a minute. Find a flag and stand quietly for a minute and reflect on what it stands for, then enjoy your burger and beer for a service member who can’t.

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Randy Kessler is commander of the Frank Lewis Glick American Legion Post 46 in Marshalltown.

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