Please honor this Day of Remembrance
Memorial Day was inaugurated in 1868 by Gen. John A. Logan.
It was previously designated Decoration Day, for the purpose of decorating the graves of Civil War veterans. Memorial Day has since become a day on which all war dead are commemorated. Unfortunately, over the years, like many of our other national holidays, Memorial Day seems to have lost its true meaning.
On May 30, 1870, Maj. Gen. Logan said: "Let us then all unite in the solemn feelings of the hour, and tender with our flowers the warmest sympathies of our souls! Let us revive our patriotism and strengthen our loyalty by the example of the noble dead around us."
Each year, in cities, towns, and communities across our great land, thankful citizens set aside a portion of this day to honor those who no longer walk among us. Memorial Day is a day of conflicting emotions within each of us; pride and mourning, gratitude and loss, and a deep abiding sense of patriotism.
On Memorial Day, we commemorate and celebrate with humble reverence, the memory of absent comrades, all of whom
epitomize and give true meaning to the words, "Duty, Honor, Courage, and Sacrifice."
We pause to honor all generations of brave Americans who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. Yet, while we revere and cherish the memory of the brave deeds of patriots of the past, we are reminded that equal tribute needs to be given to those who are serving courageously around the world, during one of the most challenging periods in American history - a new generation of patriots who are facing the challenges and danger of the Global War Against Terrorism.
Regretfully, the sacrifices of our heroes are sometimes forgotten, especially by those who have benefited the most. History has taught us that, if not for the sacrifices of those we honor on Memorial Day, the heavy fist of tyranny and terror would still shackle many countries that now enjoy the blessings of freedom and democracy.
As we speak of the present and the distant past, it is up to us to make sure the legacy of our nation's fallen is passed on from this generation to the next. We must ensure that our youth have an awareness and understanding of whom it is they should honor ... and why they should honor them!
On this Memorial Day, we share a common sorrow. But, we are also united in our thanks to those who gave their last full measure of devotion to a cause much greater than themselves.
Bob Jones is Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Idaho.