Memorial Day.

 Memorial Day was first designated on 30 May, 1868. The following is excerpted from General Orders No. 11; Grand Army of the Republic:

We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. All that the consecrated wealth and taste of the nation can add to their adornment and security, is but a fitting tribute to the memory of her slain defenders. Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.

If other eyes grow dull and other hands slack, and other hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remain in us.

Let us, then, at the time appointed, gather around their sacred remains, and garland the passionless mounds above them with choicest flowers of springtime; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledge to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon the Nation's gratitude—the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan.

II. It is the purpose of the Commander in Chief to inaugurate this observance with the hope that it will be kept up from year to year, while a survivor of the war remains to honor the memory of his departed comrades. He earnestly desires the public press to call attention to this Order, and lend its friendly aid in bringing it to the notice of comrades in all parts of the country in time for simultaneous compliance therewith.

III. Department commanders will use every effort to make this Order effective.   

  It remains for those of us, the living, to guard the memories of the fallen who gave their last full measure at places like Lexington, Cowpens, Manassas, Gettysburg, San Juan Hill, Flanders, the Ardenne, Bastogne, Iwo Jima, Coral Sea, Khe Sahn, Baghdad, Fallujah, and countless others that most will never know. So on this Memorial Day celebrate with family and friends, and worship as you choose. But never forget that the freedom's we enjoy were purchased at a cost that cannot be replaced. They are your grandfathers, fathers, husbands, sons and daughters. They answered duty's call, never complained, and gave more than can ever be repaid. So this Memorial Day, steal a quiet moment and remember. And if you should meet up with a veteran, a simple thanks will be much appreciated.

"Here Rests In Honored Glory An American Soldier Known But To God"

TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER.

If you can spare nine minutes, this is worth a look:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cENccFlXBdA

The only true way of honoring the dead is to protest the endless, horrible invasions, by this country, of nations that have done no wrong to the people of the U.S. To stop signing up for military service, as it is only an investment in imperialism. And to think of the millions of people killed in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc., for no good reason. That would be a memorial.

Trysts: You are of course "free" to opine in the manner you have chosen. I would only remind you that the freedoms you enjoy were purchased with the lives of countless veterans from 1776 to the present; furthermore, I will remind you that the United States Armed Forces serve at the pleasure of the President and Congress. Regards.

I was born free, it wasn't given to me by the U.S. Armed Forces. Regards.

How do you suppose that freedom came about in the first place? 

Now, believe me, I certainly don't condone any acts of violence whatsoever; however, respect should be shown to those who keep this country, who keep you, safe. 

My freedom has nothing to do with people being shot in Afghanistan. There must have been a time when people "defended" the U.S. from invasion, but since I've been around, noone is safe from the U.S. Armed Forces deployed at the "pleasure of the President and Congress", to invade other nations around the world for no good reason. I don't respect those who perpetuate the violence you say you don't condone.

The story that U.S citizens are in danger and to remedy that the honorable U.S army needs to invade nations or have military operations, killing hundreds of thousands of people all over the world (not just the middle east) is just an illusion created as an excuse for imperialistic plots. If you really want to respect the dead, you need to raise your voice against future killings and deaths.

I agree, I think we need to stop starting wars for things like oil, and then calling people that don't support those wars unpatriotic. Look at the hundreds of thousands of people on both sides  that have been killed in Iraq, for what?,,,,,,, what a waste...

The argument here misses the point.

Have all of the military conflicts that the US has been involved in been just? No. And it is certainly the responsibility of the People to make sure that our military forces are used properly, and that our servicemembers are not put into unnecessary danger. This is why we have an elected civilian in charge of the armed forces.

However, our freedom as Americans is most certainly owed to the sacrifices of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines. If it weren't for the brave Americans who volunteered to fight what seemed to be a doomed revolution, we might still be subject to British royalty. If it weren't for those who fought to preserve the Union, who knows what the fate of the resulting fractured nation would have been.

Memorial Day is a day to pay respect to those who lost their lives for our country. Even if you disagree with the current conflicts that our elected officials have gotten us into, you can still show respect for those among us who have sacrificed of themselves, for the families that have lost loved ones, and for those throughout our national history who have preserved our Union with their blood.

If you believe that our military is fighting unjust wars, then let your elected representatives hear it. It is their responsibility to ensure the proper use of our armed forces. But don't mistake disrespect of your fellow Americans for just outrage against the government.

The argument above is a fairy tale neglecting to notice that the government doesn't go overseas to kill people. The one's who do it, and continually empower the government to plan new campaigns for them, are the "fellow Americans" that keep enlisting into the Armed Forces of the U.S. It's insulting to the people defending their countries from Imperialistic invasions and occupations, and whose casualties are 30, 40, and 50 times higher than America's own. But you would like people to neglect what is happening today with the U.S. military, what has happened, and what continues to happen. To kill 2-3 million Vietnamese and say it wasn't just, is a shocking and insulting understatement. It was a crime of the most heinous kind, a crime that seems to repeat itself with these Armed Forces of America. The same Armed forces that imprisoned those who refused to fight when drafted to go to Vietnam. Memorial day implies remembering, people like you think it's about forgetting.

OP was not making a political statement.

He was asking that we remember the fallen troops that have paid the ultimate price in service of OUR country.

Honoring our soldiers has nothing to do with our government choosing activities over seas.

Thank you USN_USAFDAD.

Shame on all US citizens that cannot separate honoring a soldier's sacrifice and the government actions that lead to his/her death.

Specifically, shame on Trysts for the persistent effort sully the clear intentions of the OP.  (4 posts thus far)

Can you not merely honor the fallen without political commentary?

No I can't turn off thinking like you are able to do. I also remain aware of morality, which Memorial day, and my comments are about, not "political commentary".

Why pay any attention to an admitted drunk anyway ?

And the reference in the original post to Fallujah is quite telling, being an entire city indiscriminantly destroyed in a supposed attempt to root out a small number of 'insurgent' Iraqis, fighting themselves for the freedom of their nation from an occupying force.

On Memorial Day, I shall think of the countless numbers of young men and women whose lives are so comtemptuously thrown away, by those who wish to make the world in their own abhorrent image.

After reading your comments for about a year, I'm always fascinated, actually mystified, that you are so good at chess.

I enlisted in the Army at the age of 23, did a 4 year hitch.  I had a college degree by that point and studied history and psychology ending up with a degree in psychology.  It was our government that "told" the south vietnamese to pull out of the elections and that was the spark for the escalation of that war.  Was it a proving ground for tactics and weapons technology, sure.  But are as a sweeping statement every war the U.S. has gotten into for the wrong reasons, at some point in some arenas maybe.  When I was in the army I was stationed with the 501st infantry in Berlin.  I got an opportunity to volunteer to go to N Iraq to help sustain an area that allowed the Kurdish people to live without oppression from the Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkish forces/government.  I did my duty not because I had too but because I wanted too to help those who couldn't help themselves. A decade later the Kurdish people are helping take a walk to shape their country and lives where before they were oppressed and killed by the thousands.  Make no mistake that coming up on a village that was massacred wasn't a rare experience. 

With the present situation in Iraq should we be done there, yes we should and be pulled out but the initial entry may have been for the wrong reasons for some but I would beg you to ask the Kurdish people if they regret having the combined forces invade Iraq a second time. 

Tryst I understand your position and your words but it is not that clear cut, not in the real world...

B

I honor and respect soldiers for serving because it means the rest of us aren't drafted. But it should be remembered that wars are collisions of spheres of influence, or blunders of politicians and diplomats. Pretending that war is what keeps us free is a dangerous notion that will leave us with more soldiers to memorialize on this day.

And pretending that "spontaneous peace" will suddenly break out if we only lay aside our weapons is delusional. History is littered with tyrants and self aggrandized aggressors who have attempted to subjugate the meek and the mild. Know that when you go to sleep at night, some Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine, or Coast Guardsman is on watch and ever vigilant. Collectively, we give them the honor and recognition they deserve twice a year, Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Because they serve we continue to endure as a republic and nation. I am truly sorry for those who cannot appreciate their sacrifice. I will only say to all vets, thank you for your service; there are legions behind you!

I didn't advocate disarmament. I said that wars are fought for pragmatic, political reasons, and it is the unfortunate soldier who must get his country out of the mess that it got itself into. I also said that deluding yourself that wars are the fault of foreign tyrants and not your own government is exactly the kind of thinking we had less than a decade ago, thinking which has led to 5,000+ more to be remembered.

I will agree that our involvement in Vietnam was unjustified, as was our entry into Iraq. Both conflicts were entered into for very specious reasons.

But to say that it is those who enlist in the Armed Forces who empower our government to enter unjust conflicts ignores the basic structure of our democracy.

Congress sets the size and scope of our military, and the President is the Commander in Chief of all armed forces. Our entire military system is controlled by elected civilian officials; it is the responsibility of ALL Americans to ensure that our representatives are acting in our interests. So to blame misuse of military power on those who enlist is to ignore your own shared responsibility.

Instead of demonizing those of us who have volunteered for service so that you wouldn't have to worry about a draft, you should instead accept the responsibility that our democratic system demands.

USN_USAFdad, sorry this thread has turned into a political debate; I know you had only intended to bring attention to the fact that Memorial Day is about more than BBQs and a day off work.