May 27, 2011
Memorial Day: A Time to
Honor and Remember
For many, summer
unofficially begins Memorial
Day weekend. The three-day
weekend is often filled with
summertime activities as the
nation heads into the warm
months to come. Over time,
the solemn day of
remembrance has given way to
an upbeat, festive
atmosphere, which in some
respect is not in keeping
with its history or intent.
But we must never forget the
true meaning and purpose of
this day.
Since 1868, Americans have
set aside a day in late May
to honor our nation’s fallen
soldiers. Memorial Day was
originally called Decoration
Day and began three years
after the Civil War. The day
was established for all
Americans to decorate with
flowers the graves of those
who fell in the Civil War.
The first large scale
observance was held in
Arlington National Cemetery
in Washington, D.C. The
somber event was said to
include black buntings
draped in mourning, with
numerous speeches, followed
by all those attending
making their way through
Arlington National Cemetery
strewing flowers on Union
and Confederate graves alike
while reciting prayers and
singing hymns.
After World War I, Memorial
Day was expanded from a day
to honor the Civil War dead
to a day set aside to pay
homage to those who died in
all American wars. In 1971,
the name was officially
changed from Decoration Day
to Memorial Day and a
national holiday was
declared by an act of
Congress, setting the day of
observance to be the last
Monday in May.
Much has changed since those
earlier days of
community-wide observances
when businesses would close
and citizens flew flags at
half-staff. Sadly, many
neither attend a Memorial
Day remembrance nor even fly
a flag. We should work to
change that. While we are
always indebted to those who
served our country, it is
especially important that on
this one day we pause to
honor those who gave of
their lives to protect the
freedom we enjoy each and
every day.
At a time when many of our
young people are serving
overseas, we tend to be more
cognizant of the sacrifices
made by those who serve. It
is a reminder that a free
republic is preserved by
those who have paid the
ultimate sacrifice on both
foreign and domestic soil.
In December 2000, a federal
law was enacted to further
ensure the sacrifices of our
fallen heroes are never
forgotten. The law
encourages Americans to
honor the nation’s fallen
soldiers by pausing in
silence for one minute at
3:00 p.m. their local time
on Memorial Day. Moment of
Remembrance Founder Carmella
LaSpada has said the
initiative is “a way we can
all help put the memorial
back in Memorial Day.”
This Memorial Day, I urge
you to maintain the
tradition of Decoration Day
and take time to visit a
cemetery and place flags or
flowers on Veterans' graves,
visit a War Memorial, attend
a parade in honor of our
nation’s fallen heroes, or
wear a red poppy to honor
those who fell in service to
our country. Finally, take
your children with you to
share with them the pride of
our great nation and our
gratitude to those who
fought and died to keep us
free.
-30-
Sen. Kedzie can be
reached in Madison at P.O.
Box 7882, Madison, WI
53707-7882 or by calling
toll-free 1 (800) 578-1457.
He may be reached in the
district at (262) 742-2025
or on-line at
www.senatorkedzie.com
