My Turn: Honor fallen on Memorial Day
Tomorrow, we will all take a few minutes to solemnly observe Memorial Day — or will we?
Traditionally, Memorial Day has been set aside to honor those brave men and women in uniform who died in the service of our country. Unfortunately, in recent years we seem to have lost sight of the true purpose and meaning of Memorial Day. Indeed, I submit that it has been diluted, commercialized, and trivialized to the point where many Americans see it as just another three-day weekend.
Memorial Day has been diluted in the sense that it has recently been extended beyond its original purpose, to include a more generic remembrance of those who have passed on, regardless of the circumstances of their passing. Not to diminish well-intentioned gestures, but they do dilute the true meaning of Memorial Day.
Memorial Day has also become grossly commercialized. With rare exception, merchants will use Memorial Day to trumpet their sales on everything from socks to SUVs.
Radio, television, and newspapers will reap the rewards of multi-media hype, all in the pursuit of profit, too. It’s all perfectly legal, of course, but to me, more than a little unseemly.
The cumulative effect of the gradual dilution and commercialization of Memorial Day, it seems to me, is that a day set aside to honor those who paid the ultimate price in the service of their country and ours, has now become tragically trivialized.
For example, a teacher recently asked a group of high school students what Memorial Day meant to them. Their reply? “That’s the day the pool opens!” I hope that was an atypical answer, but I suspect it wasn’t.
My purpose here is not to harangue my fellow Americans for their apathy and ignorance concerning the true purpose and meaning of Memorial Day, but to remind those who need reminding that “freedom isn’t free.”
From the Revolutionary War to the global war on terrorism, men and women in uniform have served and sacrificed in our behalf. In the words of the Billy Ray Cyrus song, “All gave some, some gave all.”
I believe we need to restore Memorial Day to its original purpose and meaning: to honor and remember those who “gave all.”
Fortunately, members of our local Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion organizations have preserved and perpetuated the tradition of truly honoring our fallen comrades, especially those from Warren County, every Memorial Day.
That local tradition continues tomorrow morning with a ceremony at the airport, starting at 7 a.m. I’ll be there. I hope you will, too.
Thomas B. Vaughn is a professor at Motlow College and co-host of WCPI radio show “Viewpoints” which airs on 91.3 FM.