Memorial Day Honors Our Fallen Warriors

Memorial Day became a federal holiday in 1967, replacing what had commonly been celebrated as Decoration Day, an observance of the fallen that began in 1868, to honor those lost in the Civil War. In 1968, the Federal Government passed the Uniform Holiday Act, moving it from what had become its traditional date of May 30, to the last Monday in May, facilitating a three-day weekend.

While many traditionalists believe that such reorganization has assisted in the erosion of meaningful observance, making it just another long weekend, it should be noted that other holidays like Veteran’s Day, which was moved back to its traditional date in 1978, are rarely observed by employers who have largely substituted other days like Black Friday, as off days for their workers.

The Memorial Day weekend has largely come to be seen as the official start of the summer season, with many northeastern states opening their public beaches and pools, and retailers have built much of their promotional campaigns around the extra day of potential purchasing, which has helped the tradition of having the day off stay firmly entrenched in a way that Veteran’s Day, Columbus Day, and President’s Day have not.

Still, there are a myriad of thoughtful and considerate observances such as parades and other festivities in which Americans can pay their respects to the brave men and women who have given their life in service of our country.

The National Memorial Day Concert takes place on the west lawn of the United States Capitol. The concert is broadcast on PBS and NPR. The Little Neck and Douglaston, Queens, NY Memorial Day Parade is considered the largest in the nation and is a spectacle on par with many of the other top holiday parades.

In December of 2000, the National Moment of Rememberance Act was passed, asking Americans to observe a silent moment of remembrance for our fallen at 3 p.m. local time.

Like many former soldiers, I have lost friends and brethren who gave their life when duty called. I make it a point to teach my children that their freedoms do not come without a price and that price has often been paid, in blood, by others. Parents have lost children, children have lost parents, and spouses have laid husbands and wives at the altar of freedom. Whether or not an American believes in a particular war or military action, we all sit here today enjoying comforts that have been purchased with the lives of our fellow Americans.

As such, The Bradenton Times is honored to provide this link to a rendition of Taps in order to assist any of our readers who would care to use it in their personal observance. Take a few moments to honor our fallen and pay tribute to the families who have paid the ultimate price. It is a simple and admittedly inadequate homage, but can perhaps serve as a reminder that our freedoms are not free.