Memorial Day: What does it mean?
By Steve Trubilla
Friction continues to build, there was another incident. A local government official, Ebenezer Richardson, became angry and began firing randomly into a group of citizens.
Twelve-year-old Christopher Snider was shot in the arm and chest. He died before the night was out.
Dateline 22 February 1770, reported by, The Boston- Gazette and County Journal.
Politically people had become more and more dissatisfied with politicians being more interested in party politics while they pressed their own agendas.
No one expected anyone to be killed. The gathering was one of many; people had become accustomed to them. Most accepted there was nothing they could do. After all the government is the government and you cannot fight city hall, or the all-powerful special interests.
Does this all sound a little familiar? Who could have known the killing of this little boy would spark a revolution. Sparks are flying today.
Today’s headlines strike strong similarities with those of that fateful day in 1770. People have once again become accustomed to citizens voicing their anger, gathering, and demonstrating about the overreach of government.
Even the ballot box has been defeated by elected officials using special interest political action committees to get their cronies into office.
Memorial Day, is it too late, or too bold that we ask a moment or maybe a memorial to recall a young boy named Christopher Snider who was shot down?
Is it possible such a monument would cause some of today’s elected officials to consider the wages of arrogance?
The boy and his parents were not prominent, just average Americans trying to scratch out a living. Not unlike so many living in our country today.
Would a memorial service for the average citizens remind us of a human tragedy that we seem destined to repeat time and time again?
If memorials mattered then I say build something that would dwarf the great pyramids. A monument so profound it could not ignored when war was in the offing. Surround this display with a sea of tears already cried by mothers.
The truth is memorials matter little. For a time there is much ado about them. Like the fallen, they are soon forgotten.
Time and political sentiment has a way of fading the reason for, and meaning of things.
The pages of the calendar have again turned to May. Soon it will be Decoration Day, now called Memorial Day.
So what then is the purpose of Memorial Day? Upon considering this article I randomly asked a number of people this question. Most, when put on the spot, could not answer.
Given that now less than one-half of one percent of the population serves in the military, this did not surprise me.
Those of a certain age were aware, but most teenagers and even those in their thirties were not.
To get a measure of this ask a teenager today about the bombing of the Barracks in Beirut in 1983. The United States Marine Corps suffered the deadliest single-day since the World War II battle of Iwo Jima, 240 US Servicemen were killed, 18 sailors and 220 Marines, with another 128 wounded.
Most will not even suspect what you are talking about. While not there myself, I have friends that were; remembering the warriors of BLT 1/8. (Battalion Landing Team, 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment.)
Now ramp this forward and question them about 11 September 2001; many will give you a blank stare.
Ask about Bengazi and what they think about American patriots being abandoned by their government, tortured, and killed. Again you will see the blank stares. They do not have a clue and most show zero interest.
There was a time when it was hard to find a family not touched by war. Memorial Day was very personal
A note from history, on 26 April 1866, tens of thousands of Southern women placed flowers at the graves of Confederate fallen to remember and memorialize their great sacrifice and loss.
There were flags, music, reverence, and all that is composed of such events.
Today the mere mention of the Confederacy or the display of the flag has been all but criminalized. Once celebrated monuments are now desecrated, while others are being systematically taken down and destroyed.
A gifted poet penning a reflection may better be able to express and capture the emptiness of stone hearts that erect monuments to the fallen that one day others will tear down.
Will the “Wall,” Vietnam’s memorial and monument, one day be taken down, because it offends someone?
When you think about the meaning of Memorial Day, think about the fate of those left to die in Vietnam prisoner of war (POW) camps. When was the last time you heard a politician even mention them, or their families.
Ask your neighbor if they ever heard of a young Army Lieutenant named Clint Lorance, now serving 20 years in Leavenworth. He is among the estimated 90-100 American Service members currently serving time for charges related to killing the enemy.
This Memorial Day think about Marine Sergeant and decorated combat vet Andrew Tahmooressi, now chained in a Mexican prison.
Memorial Day, just what does it mean to you? Is it just another long weekend? To some it means much more. The “battle rattle” never ends.
By Steve Trubilla
Friction continues to build, there was another incident. A local government official, Ebenezer Richardson, became angry and began firing randomly into a group of citizens.
Twelve-year-old Christopher Snider was shot in the arm and chest. He died before the night was out.
Dateline 22 February 1770, reported by, The Boston- Gazette and County Journal.
Politically people had become more and more dissatisfied with politicians being more interested in party politics while they pressed their own agendas.
No one expected anyone to be killed. The gathering was one of many; people had become accustomed to them. Most accepted there was nothing they could do. After all the government is the government and you cannot fight city hall, or the all-powerful special interests.
Does this all sound a little familiar? Who could have known the killing of this little boy would spark a revolution. Sparks are flying today.
Today’s headlines strike strong similarities with those of that fateful day in 1770. People have once again become accustomed to citizens voicing their anger, gathering, and demonstrating about the overreach of government.
Even the ballot box has been defeated by elected officials using special interest political action committees to get their cronies into office.
Memorial Day, is it too late, or too bold that we ask a moment or maybe a memorial to recall a young boy named Christopher Snider who was shot down?
Is it possible such a monument would cause some of today’s elected officials to consider the wages of arrogance?
The boy and his parents were not prominent, just average Americans trying to scratch out a living. Not unlike so many living in our country today.
Would a memorial service for the average citizens remind us of a human tragedy that we seem destined to repeat time and time again?
If memorials mattered then I say build something that would dwarf the great pyramids. A monument so profound it could not ignored when war was in the offing. Surround this display with a sea of tears already cried by mothers.
The truth is memorials matter little. For a time there is much ado about them. Like the fallen, they are soon forgotten.
Time and political sentiment has a way of fading the reason for, and meaning of things.
The pages of the calendar have again turned to May. Soon it will be Decoration Day, now called Memorial Day.
So what then is the purpose of Memorial Day? Upon considering this article I randomly asked a number of people this question. Most, when put on the spot, could not answer.
Given that now less than one-half of one percent of the population serves in the military, this did not surprise me.
Those of a certain age were aware, but most teenagers and even those in their thirties were not.
To get a measure of this ask a teenager today about the bombing of the Barracks in Beirut in 1983. The United States Marine Corps suffered the deadliest single-day since the World War II battle of Iwo Jima, 240 US Servicemen were killed, 18 sailors and 220 Marines, with another 128 wounded.
Most will not even suspect what you are talking about. While not there myself, I have friends that were; remembering the warriors of BLT 1/8. (Battalion Landing Team, 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment.)
Now ramp this forward and question them about 11 September 2001; many will give you a blank stare.
Ask about Bengazi and what they think about American patriots being abandoned by their government, tortured, and killed. Again you will see the blank stares. They do not have a clue and most show zero interest.
There was a time when it was hard to find a family not touched by war. Memorial Day was very personal
A note from history, on 26 April 1866, tens of thousands of Southern women placed flowers at the graves of Confederate fallen to remember and memorialize their great sacrifice and loss.
There were flags, music, reverence, and all that is composed of such events.
Today the mere mention of the Confederacy or the display of the flag has been all but criminalized. Once celebrated monuments are now desecrated, while others are being systematically taken down and destroyed.
A gifted poet penning a reflection may better be able to express and capture the emptiness of stone hearts that erect monuments to the fallen that one day others will tear down.
Will the “Wall,” Vietnam’s memorial and monument, one day be taken down, because it offends someone?
When you think about the meaning of Memorial Day, think about the fate of those left to die in Vietnam prisoner of war (POW) camps. When was the last time you heard a politician even mention them, or their families.
Ask your neighbor if they ever heard of a young Army Lieutenant named Clint Lorance, now serving 20 years in Leavenworth. He is among the estimated 90-100 American Service members currently serving time for charges related to killing the enemy.
This Memorial Day think about Marine Sergeant and decorated combat vet Andrew Tahmooressi, now chained in a Mexican prison.
Memorial Day, just what does it mean to you? Is it just another long weekend? To some it means much more. The “battle rattle” never ends.
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