Posted on May 24, 2015
Why Is Memorial Day, A Day To Remember, But Not Grieve?
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To You From Failing Hands We Throw The Torch
JD Pendry | May 24, 2015
Memorial Day
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather, we should thank God that such men lived.” — General George S. Patton Jr.
In Flanders Fields
Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, 1872-1918
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies blow
In Flanders fields.
JD Pendry | May 24, 2015
Memorial Day
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather, we should thank God that such men lived.” — General George S. Patton Jr.
In Flanders Fields
Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, 1872-1918
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies blow
In Flanders fields.
Posted in these groups: 
Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 4
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- Just a guess but we should remember and honor otherwise we as a society will forget.
- The price of forgetting is that a current generation will not step forward when needed in the numbers and the quality that will be needed.
- I see many indicators that America is on the road towards forgetting including but not limited to the following:
- Memorial Day used to be a day to take a knee and attend a local Memorial Day event. Now it seems to be another sales holiday and vacation weekend.
- The draft had problems but at least it served as a forcing function for members of the society to contribute. The all volunteer Army has had many positive benefits but one down side is a widening gulf between those who serve (1%) and those who do not (99%).
- Generationally I am seeing a younger generation more concerned about themselves than they are about society. This attitude carries long term negative risks for the nation.
- Educationally, I am seeing a younger generation not being properly educated as to both the rights and the responsibilities of a citizen. Seems like a lot of people know only a warped version of their "rights" and have a hard time delineating even one of their responsibilities (be a good citizen, vote, pay taxes, etc).
- Don't mean to turn this into a rant but I see all the above as tying into why it is important to properly remember those who died in service to our country.
- The price of forgetting is that a current generation will not step forward when needed in the numbers and the quality that will be needed.
- I see many indicators that America is on the road towards forgetting including but not limited to the following:
- Memorial Day used to be a day to take a knee and attend a local Memorial Day event. Now it seems to be another sales holiday and vacation weekend.
- The draft had problems but at least it served as a forcing function for members of the society to contribute. The all volunteer Army has had many positive benefits but one down side is a widening gulf between those who serve (1%) and those who do not (99%).
- Generationally I am seeing a younger generation more concerned about themselves than they are about society. This attitude carries long term negative risks for the nation.
- Educationally, I am seeing a younger generation not being properly educated as to both the rights and the responsibilities of a citizen. Seems like a lot of people know only a warped version of their "rights" and have a hard time delineating even one of their responsibilities (be a good citizen, vote, pay taxes, etc).
- Don't mean to turn this into a rant but I see all the above as tying into why it is important to properly remember those who died in service to our country.
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SGT (Join to see)
COL Jason Smallfield, PMP, CFM, CM, I so do agree with you Sir. That is the way it should be. I think, and I may be wrong, that other than families who lost a loved one in battle, or a Veteran, or currently serving, civvies don't give it a second thought. To them it's about the big deals they can get at stores, and hamburgers and hot dogs, with beer. " Did you have a nice Memorial Day" is a question I will get, along with " Happy Memorial Day". If they only knew.
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Awesome tribute. Those who came and have gone before should never be far from our thoughts. Many have sacrificed their lives that we may live free and enjoy what they no longer can. God bless them all, RIP Brothers and Sisters enjoy the rest you have so richly earned, may you awaken to the peace you so deeply wanted.
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May the fallen rest in peace. May the nation be worthy of their sacrifice.
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