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May 26, 2012 03:02 PM UTC

Memorial Day Weekend Open Thread

  • 36 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

“Their courage nerves a thousand living men.”

–Minot J. Savage

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36 thoughts on “Memorial Day Weekend Open Thread”

  1. On May 1, 1865, freed slaves gathered in Charleston, South Carolina to commemorate the death of Union soldiers and the end of the American Civil War. Three years later, General John Logan issued a special order that May 30, 1868 be observed as Decoration Day, the first Memorial Day — a day set aside “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 church-yard in the land.”

    In the recognition of the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War, let us not forget that freed slaves created Memorial Day. Let us remember that their prayers and observations were not just for the deceased Union soldiers on that first Memorial Day, but also for members of their families and their community who died in a war that was meant to free them.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…

    God Bless all who have fought and died so that all men and women may be free and equal.

  2. Sadly, we have an entire generation that does not know the true beginnings of what we now call Memorial Day.

    At the bright end of the torch, however, is the very respectful way United States Military personnel are honored at every running of the Boulder Boulder.

    Every year, when the jumpers come in, when the honorees receive their recognition, when the Colors are presented, there seems to be an awareness in the stands.

    The people and animals that serve our country are, by far, our greatest asset, and certainly represent the best of what this nation represents.

    The courage to put country first is either in a person or it’s not. A person either gets it or they don’t. They either know what time it is or they don’t.

    To risk your life for people you don’t even know isn’t what a “sap” does…it’s what heroes do!

    To every man, woman, and war dog, Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine, THANK YOU!

    THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!  

    1. Of Memorial Days, and Sons and Daughters

      By Bingham C. Jamison, CFA |

      http://battleland.blogs.time.c…

      …now that Memorial Day is here, how do I teach my daughter that the holiday is about much more than just barbecues and American music?  About more than fireworks and festivals?

      My father would have related to this young, former Marine.  It was perhaps the saddest day of the year for him too. Every Memorial Day, Dad and his fellow WWII vets would gather at the Vets Cemetery early and they would hand us children little flags to place on each grave long before the formal ceremonies. Grown men cried, children watched in awe. There is never a Memorial Day I don’t give thanks and honor these great men and women.

    2. But this picture, taken by photographer Todd Heisler from his 2005 award-winning series for The Rocky Mountain News, “Jim Comes Home” is the soul-crushing image that everyone needs to think about this weekend:

      And this incredible quote I want to share:

      I believe that the civilian-military gap isn’t always born of indifference, but rather, at times, a sense of helplessness on the civilian side. What can I do? If you do nothing else, you can remember those who have given their lives for their country. Our country. Remembrance, which may seem a modest contribution in the moment, is a sacred act with long-term payoff – a singularly human gift that keeps on giving, year after war-fatigued year. I don’t need to remind you that America’s sons and daughters are still dying in combat. I don’t want to browbeat you into feeling guilty for not doing more. Instead, I want to tell you that as the wife of a veteran, it is tremendously meaningful to know that on this Memorial Day, civilians will be bearing witness and remembering in their own way – that those who are gone are not forgotten. I also want to say that as you remember them, we remember you.

      Thank you.

      http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com…

      1. I think he was using sarcasm to express his dismay at the way commercial interests have hijacked the meaning of the holiday.  

        As a veteran, and one who was actually born on the original memorial day, May 30, I share his resentment of the commercialism of the holiday.  

          I respect your feelings, also, Pita, but I think you read Davebarnes wrong on this one.  At least, I hope you did.  

        2. and I wish Memorial Day had not though I recognize that its a benefit to the economy and that folks could use 3 day weekends. But, I was raised in a military family. I have gone to “real” observances, often more than one, every Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day of my life. If traveling and any planning is done they are not hard to find.  

          1. Granted, I’m biased because the original memorial day was my birthday.  

            But I can remember when,as student body president, I was invited by the local vets group to give a memorial day address at the local cemetery.  I of course went with Lincoln’s Gettysburg address.   As a stand alone holiday, it meant something to us.  Now, it just inaugurates the summer driving season.  

    1. I see few that are justified. Even the revolution could be construed as spoiled colonists wanting it their way.

      The Civil War, alternatively, could have been, “Don’t let the door hit you on your ass on the way out.” Not so admiring of Lincoln on this one.

      The Spanish-American War was precursor to the Gulf of Tonkin bullshit, just another lie to the American people.

      WWI, insofar as American involvement got us what???

      WWII, possibly justifiable.  I’ll accept that.

      Korea, Viet Nam, Iraq, Afghanistan…..what moral, fleshy, total disasters.

      Note that the last war fought on our soil was the one in 1812.  Then there was conquisition in the 1840’s, the Mexican War.

      We don’t have much moral leg to stand on.

      1. Revolutionary war I think was legit. Yes some of it was we don’t want to pay for the services we were provided. But it was fundamentally about electing their government.

        Civil War was very justifiable, both the initial purpose which is fundamental to a country, that it retain control of it’s domain. And for the subsequent purpose to end slavery.

        WWI – Not so much for us but for the world, it had reached a stalemate and permanent warfare was destroying Europe. It was essential to moving Europe forward.

        Korea – It was a mess in terms in so many ways. But it started because North Korea invaded for no legitimate reason.

    2. and trust you are well as can be!

      I never hear the “Right” join in on a antiwar conversation. Come to think of it, very few on either side. It’s sad, frankly.

      I want heroes to be more defined, celebrated, and given holidays because they fight fought for Peace.

    3. and trust you are well as can be!

      I never hear the “Right” join in on a antiwar conversation. Come to think of it, very few on either side. It’s sad, frankly.

      I want heroes to be more defined, celebrated, and given holidays because they fight fought for Peace.

  5. ..and is currently a Prisoner of War, held by the Taliban-supported Haqqani network in Pakistan.

    Yes, Pakistan. Inside the borders of our erstwhile “allies in the Global War on Terror.”

    http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com…

    He attempted to escape in December, but was recaptured after three days on the run. You’d think if he could escape the compound he was being held in, that “friendly forces” would’ve found and rescued him, since the Pakistani Army is “actively engaged” in the search.

    http://www.thedailybeast.com/a…

    President Obama, you pledged to go into any country on earth to get OBL, and you did. I ask you now to do the same thing, and direct Special Operations Command to draw up, train and execute a rescue mission that brings SGT Bergdahl home.

    Bring him home, or send us back to get him.

  7. The saddest thing I know is that Memorial Day has never achieved its ultimate aim.  MC

    The War Prayer

    by Mark Twain

    It was a time of great and exalting excitement. The country was up in arms, the war was on, in every breast burned the holy fire of patriotism; the drums were beating, the bands playing, the toy pistols popping, the bunched fire-crackers hissing and spluttering; on every hand and far down the receding and fading spread of roofs and balconies, a fluttering wilderness of flags flashed in the sun; daily the young volunteers marched down the wide avenue gay and fine in their new uniforms, the proud fathers and mothers and sisters and sweethearts cheering them with voices choked with happy emotion as they swung by; nightly the packed mass meetings listened, panting, to patriot oratory which stirred the deepest deeps of their hearts and which they interrupted at briefest intervals with cyclones of applause, the tears running down their cheeks the while; in the churches the pastors preached devotion to flag and country and invoked the God of Battles, beseeching His aid in our good cause in outpouring of fervid eloquence which moved every listener.

    It was indeed a glad and gracious time, and the half dozen rash spirits that ventured to disapprove of the war and cast a doubt upon its righteousness straightway got such a stern and angry warning that for their personal safety’s sake they quickly shrank out of sight and offended no more in that way.

    Sunday morning came–next day the battalions would leave for the front; the church was filled; the colunteers were there, their young faces alight with martial dreams–visions of the stern advance, the gathering momentum, the rushing charge, the flashing sabers, the flight of the foe, the tumult, the enveloping smoke, the fierce pursuit, the surrender!

    Then home from the war, bronzed heroes, welcomed, adored, submerged in golden seas of glory! With the volunteers sat their dear ones, proud, happy, and envied by the neighbors and friends who had no sons and brothers to send forth to the field of honor, there to win for the flag, or, falling, to die the noblest of noble deaths. The service proceeded; a war chapter from the Old Testament was read; the first prayer was said; it was followed by an organ burst that shook the building, and with one impulse the house rose, with glowing eyes and beating hearts, and poured out that tremendous invocation:

    “God the all-terrible! Thou who ordainest,

    Thunder thy clarion and lightning thy sword.”

    Then came the “long” prayer. None could remember the like of it for passionate pleading and moving and beautiful language. The burden of its supplication was that an ever-merciful and begnignant Father of us all would watch over our noble young soldiers, and aid, comfort and encourage them in their patriotic work; bless them; shield them in the day of battle and the hour of peril, bear them in His mighty hand, make them strong and confident, invincible in the bloody onset; help them to crush the foe, grant to them and to their flag and country imperishable honor and glory–

    An aged stranger entered and moved with slow and noiseless step up the main aisle, his eyes fixed upon the minister, his long body clothed in a robe that reached to his feet, his head bare, his white hair descending in a frothy cataract to his shoulders, his seamy face unnaturally pale, pale even to ghastliness. With all eyes following him and wondering, he made his silent way; without pausing he ascended to the preacher’s side and stood there waiting. With shut lids the preacher, unconscious of his presence, continued his moving prayer, and at last finished it with the words uttered in fervent appeal, “Bless our arms, grant us the victory, O Lord our God, Father and Protector of our land and flag!”

    The stranger touched his arm, motioned him to step aside–which the startled minister did–and took his place. During some moments he surveyed the spellbound audience with solemn eyes, in which burned an uncanny light; then in a deep voice he said:

    “I come from the Throne–bearing a message from Almighty God.” The words smote the house with a shock; if the stranger perceived it he gave no attention. “He has heard the prayer of His servant your shepherd, and will grant it if such be your desire after I, His messenger, shall have explained to you its import–that is to say, its full import. For it is like unto many of the prayers of men, in that it asks for more than he who utters it is aware of–except he pause and think. God’s servant and yours has prayed his prayer. Has he paused and taken thought? Is it one prayer? No, it is two–one uttered, the other not. Both have reached the ear of Him who heareth all supplications, the spoken and the unspoken. Ponder this–keep it in mind. If you would beseech a blessing upon yourself, beware! Lest without intent you invoke a curse upon a neighbor at the same time. If you pray for the blessing of rain upon your crop which needs it, by that act you are possibly praying for a curse upon some neighbor’s crop which may not need rain and can be injured by it.

    “You have heard your servant’s prayer–the uttered part of it. I am commissioned of God to put into words the other part of it–that part which the pastor–and also in your hearts–fervently prayed silently. And ignorantly and unthinkingly? God grant that it was so! You have heard those words ‘Grant us the victory, O Lord our God.’ That is sufficient. The whole of the uttered prayer is compact into those pregnant words. Elaborations were not necessary. When you have prayed for victory, you have prayed for many unmentioned results which follow victory–must follow it, cannot help but follow it. Upon the listening spirit of God the Father fell also the unspoken part of the prayer. He commandeth me to put it into words. Listen!

    “O Lord our Father, our young patriots, idols of our hearts, go forth to battle–be Thou near them! With them, in spirit, we also go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved firesides to smite the foe. O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of the patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of their guns with the shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their offending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with their little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun flames of summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it–

    “For our sakes who adore thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with their tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet!

    “We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him who is the Source of Love, and Who is the Ever-Faithful Refuge and Friends of all who are sore beset and seeking His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen.”

    (The old man paused). “Ye have prayed it; if you still desire it, speak! The messenger of the Most High awaits.”

    * * * * *

    It was believed afterward that the man was a lunatic, because there was no sense in what he said.

    –Mark Twain

  8. Poll: Romney leads Obama among veterans

    Fifty-eight percent of veterans support Romney, while 34% back the president, according to a new Gallup survey.

    …

    Interestingly, the new poll shows that Romney’s male advantage may be attributed to his lead among veterans, given that one in four men in the United States have served in the military. When taking into account only non-veteran men, Obama and Romney are essentially tied, the poll shows.

    1. For example, about 11% of the population is age 60+; but notwithstanding Iraq and Afghanistan, I’d assume the veteran population is well over 11% age 60+ (Vietnam, Korea, and dwindling numbers of WW2 vets). And I don’t have any stats on urban/rural but I think the appeal of the military is stronger in rural and southern America than in, say, the northeast or west coast.

      Which is all to say that “Romney leads among vets” doesn’t necessarily mean it’s being a vet that drives folks to Romney; it’s that vets are disproportionately from conservative-leaning groups — older, southern, rural.

      1. that the Affordable Health Care Act will destroy their health benefits. It is true that they will be required at some future date, to begin paying a very slight amount more for their TriCare. A number of retired generals and VA folks have written that this is untrue but there are daily email chains going to these folks which of course also deride his citizenship and talk of the “apology tour” that never happened.

    2. Weary warriors favor Obama

      If the election were held today, Obama would win the veteran vote by as much as seven points over Romney, higher than his margin in the general population.

      http://www.reuters.com/article…

      It depends on how motivated the vet vote is….once the Romney “slash and burn vet services” budget gets some scrutiny, I have no doubt that these older vets who use the VA and get disability pensions will swing back to Obama

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