Reverence

We interrupt our regularly scheduled blog to bring you this holiday message (yes, I know, this means I will be next week responding to TWO of Madame’s postings, but I believe I have some experience with that, lol).

It seems that our holidays have become disconnected from their purpose.  Where once they very nearly took on the character of their underlying name—holy—now they are, in too many instances, just a (albeit welcome) day off, or an excuse to overeat, overspend, or overindulge in some way.  Where people sometimes have a family reunion, large and small, which is a good side benefit, how many also take the time to remember, to revere, to commemorate, the holiday? 

I think you know the answer: nearly none.  Think of all the holidays, and then ask yourself if what you and your family did on that holiday was connected to the holiday’s supposed purpose, and if it was, for how long?  An hour?  Or even a minute? For most holidays, not at all?

Today on your (likely) day off, some spirits from the past may be wondering if you could be bothered for even a few minutes.  You know, those who served and died for your freedom.  I don’t mean the half-meaningless and half bull-expletitive “freedom” that politicians and their handlers throw out to keep us conned and diverted about the often horrible policies they make.  I mean that noble sacrifice for believing in a good America.  Yes, in the day to day, soldiers fight for each other and not for overarching lofty sentiments.  But in their collective striving, they fight (and have fought) for what they believe.  And they believe in you, their fellow citizens, and the good America you together represent.

Today, in about 10 hours, I will be the commemoration speaker for a presentation in honor of today’s holiday.  If any of you are this year or in future years going to give a speech to revere this holiday, and you aren’t sure how you want to proceed, you have my permission to use the following in any way you see fit:

MEMORIAL DAY COMMEMORATION MAY 28, 2012

On Veterans Day in November we honor all veterans, living and dead.  Today, on Memorial Day, we honor the dead from all our wars, from our War of Independence, from the War of 1812—the war from where our National Anthem came—from our own Civil War, from World War I—the War to End All War—and from World War II—the war that changed the world—from the Korean and Vietnam Wars that brought home the limits of the modern age, from the Cold War that transformed so much, from the Middle East wars, and the many other conflicts that American soldiers of all kinds have put their mortality on the line for.

These honored dead have come from the seven services and more: from the Army, Navy/Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine, Public Health Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and all the components within each of them.  They have come from both the active duty forces, and the citizen-soldiers of the Reserves and National Guard.

These brave men and women made the ultimate sacrifice, and in large part because of that sacrifice, we stand here today not only free men and women, but in a far better world than what might have been, had the forces of tyranny and injustice been left unopposed.  A proud and grateful nation, and a grateful world, salutes all those who by their efforts have given us so much—and the luxury of taking that much for granted.

This will not be a long address this morning, for there is little to say that has not already been said, and I am in any case far too humbled by the debt we owe these men and women.  They had aspirations, spouses, children, lives, and living that they deserved to fulfill.  But it was cut short; their mortal experience, the gift of life, snuffed out, so that others might have a future worth living.

Policymakers send soldiers, airmen, sailors, and marines to war.  Whether you agree or not politically with the objectives and methods of the conflicts we now wage—or have waged in the past—you may be proud of the proficiency, professionalism, and patriotism of what is by far the best military in the world.  Be close to your military.  Be part of it and make it part of you, so that neither may become fearful, suspicious, oppressive, dismissive, or neglectful of the other.

The military may do the direct struggling in conflict, but we must be careful to keep our connection.  Once, Rome had been a republic, with citizen-soldier farmers who would leave their plows to serve in noble and selfless sacrifice.  Because of that, Rome was strong.  Its citizens felt a great connection and civic pride and responsibility, and reluctance to go to war unless absolutely necessary.

But as Rome changed, as the military became not a military of draftees or citizen-soldiers, but a totally voluntary professional force, the citizens lost their connections, lost their appreciation, lost their civic pride and responsibility, and even their gratitude for the sacrifice of the soldier.

Let us not be Rome.  A wise sage once said that it is the doom of men that they forget.  All those here today: Pass on, to the generations who follow in your wake, the compelling need to honor the memory of our soldiers, to keep the connections, to come out on Memorial Day and not let it be just another day off, to have civic pride and responsibility, to honor veterans, to be ever grateful for the sacrifice of their very lives.  For you, future citizens and strangers they would never meet, they gave up the life they wanted to have, so you could live yours.  Don’t ever forget.