The soldiers and Marines in this cemetery have been there for nearly a century (the Oise-Aisne American Cemetery). When their lives were taken from them, the day was called Decoration Day and it took place on May 30th. Most of them were likely draftees who, given their druthers, would have stayed home and raised families. Their great-grandchildren would be adults, now. But they did what was asked of them and more. And they never came home. Those who remembered them, who were devastated when the telegram arrived bringing news of their deaths, are themselves now dead. If their letters home were not preserved, the only tangible memory of their existence is now those markers over their graves in France.
We should not use the day to honor those men and women as an excuse to kick off the summer holiday season. It should be more than the day to mark when it is proper for women to wear white shoes.
I know, I piss into the wind about this every year.[1] It still gripes me. We've changed it from a day to honor those who gave the last full measure of devotion and made it into the unofficial start of the summer vacation season.
The Canadians had the good sense to do that to a day that remembers a long-dead monarch who is now best known for the phrase "we are not amused." We should have done the same.
[1]And I am going to continue to gripe about this ever year. Deal with it.
Agreed.
ReplyDeleteDitto.
ReplyDelete