Sunday Roast: Memorial Day

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 grow
In Flanders fields.

~Lt Col John McRae

This is our daily open thread — In Memoriam of those service members who died while serving their country.

The Watering Hole, Monday, May 25, 2015: Memorial Day and Its Disputed Origins

Under different circumstances, after different choices, it could have been me. It wasn’t, of course, or I wouldn’t be here to write this. And by accident or design, depending on what you wish to believe, I was never in the circumstances, probably as a result of some of my choices, where it ever might have been me. But there have been more than one million three hundred thousand United States service members who died while serving in our nation’s armed forces, more than half of them (counting both sides) in our own civil war. I have never seen the honor of serving my country under combat, so I was never in a situation where I could expect to be killed. I honestly can’t say how I would have behaved in combat, but I’ve always thought of myself as the kind of person who would sacrifice himself to make sure others survived a situation. Maybe we all do, I don’t know. But I do know that because of the sacrifices those million brave people made, I can enjoy the freedom and luxury of being able to sit in my own home writing this blog post, and you can enjoy the freedom and luxury of reading it. Our nation, by and large, doesn’t treat the brave men and women who serve to protect our country (simply by being the biggest bad-asses on the planet) well enough, and we remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice even less than we should.

The true origins of the holiday we’ve come to know as Memorial Day are in some dispute, partly because there isn’t general agreement on what is meant by “first,” and also by “holiday.” Many of you reading this blog (because many of you are Liberals like me) know of the first official ceremony to honor the war dead, known then as Decoration Day, and that it was started by African Americans in May 1865 (the month following the Civil War’s end) and is recounted by Snopes here. But as the article indicates, there is no evidence that this ceremony, wonderful as it was, had any influence on the decision by Major General Logan to hold an annual holiday. I wanted to confirm that story before posting it here as the official start of Memorial Day, but I couldn’t find any mention of it on the History Channel website, the PBS website, or even the Department of Veterans Affairs website. I wonder why that is. The Charleston, South Carolina, ceremony was certainly the first observation of Decoration Day, and its purpose was largely similar to that of today’s Memorial Day (though it was restricted to remembering the Civil War dead.) But why it’s not credited with being the first Memorial Day is unknown. Instead, Congress declared that Waterloo, NY, was the site of the first Memorial Day observance (though other places claim the title, too.)

The important thing is not how it began but that it continue. You owe the freedom you still enjoy today to them. Remember them.

Here are some pictures my wife posted last year. Please enjoy a safe and happy holiday celebration. And if you see a veteran among the parade goers today, it wouldn’t hurt to stop and thank them for their service to our country. I promise you that inside it can really help make them feel their sacrifices are worthwhile.

World War I Memorial, Washington, DC

World War II Memorials, Washington, DC

Korean War Memorials, Washington, DC

Vietnam War Memorials, Washington, DC

Tomb of the Unknown

This is our daily open thread. Feel free to spend time honoring the fallen close to you, or those who, as President Lincoln put it, gave the last full measure of devotion, or anything else you wish to discuss.

Memorial Day, May 26th, 2014

World War I Memorial, Washington, DC

World War II Memorials, Washington, DC

Korean War Memorials, Washington, DC

Vietnam War Memorials, Washington, DC

Tomb of the Unknown

Iraq War Memorial, Washington, DC

?

Afghanistan War Memorial, Washington, DC

?

Open thread–have at it!

They hover as a cloud of witnesses above this Nation. ~Henry Ward Beecher

All cartoons are posted with the artists’ express permission to TPZoo.
Paul Jamiol, Jamiol’s World

The Watering Hole, Monday, May 28th, 2012: Memorial Day

When I was younger, and my parents and relatives got together, they would often refer to various brothers, uncles, cousins, friends and neighbors who were “lost in The War.” “The War”, of course, meant World War II. Back then, most of the names mentioned in those conversations had little meaning to me: I had never met them; they had died before I was born; and, while I had heard of “World War II”, I had no inkling of its scale, its horrors, or its impact on the world, the country, and on my family.

Dad (Stephen R. Sechny) in uniform

My dad served in the Navy during The War, but he never served overseas. I don’t know (he never said) why this was so; his role in The War was as secretary/chauffeur/aide to the bigwigs stateside. I am ashamed to say that none of us kids never really asked, as dad tended to tell long, drawn-out stories, drifting off onto tangents so often that we usually lost interest or lost track at some point.

Speaking of going off on tangents, yesterday’s “UP with Chris Hayes” had several segments that should be revisited today. Unfortunately, I could not figure out how to embed the videos, so here’s the link. I highly recommend watching the first three segments.

This is our daily open thread — share your thoughts on today’s topic, or discuss what you want to.

Watering Hole: Monday, May 30, 2011 – Memorial Day

We are a warring nation.  Some served in our military voluntarily while others were drafted.  Regardless as to why someone served, today is a day to remember those that served and lost their lives.

A list of wars:

• American War of Independence – 1775 to 1783
• Northwest Indian War or Little Turtle’s War or Miami’s Campaign – 1785-1795
• Franco-American Half War – 1798-1800
• Barbary Coast War or Tripolitan War – 1801-1805
• War of 1812 or Second War of Independence – 1812-1815
• Second Barbary War or Algerian War – 1815
• First Seminole War – 1817-1818
• Arikara War – 1823
• Winnebago War orLe Fèvre Indian War – 1827
• Black Hawk War or Black Hawk Campaign – 1832
• First Sumatran Expedition – February 6 – 9, 1832
• Second Seminole War or Florida War – 1835 – 1842
• Texas War of Independence – 1836
• Mexican War or U.S.–Mexican War – April 25, 1846 – February 2, 1848
• etc…

There are 61 more wars to add to this list.  You can view the rest here.

Let us not forget the “TV” war – Vietnam.  If George W. Bush actually fought in Vietnam, he would not have been so eager to invade Iraq.  Approximately 58,220 American soldiers lost their lives in Vietnam.  This doesn’t include the millions of Vietnamese that were killed.  War is not the answer.  After all, what is war good for?

This is our Open Thread – Speak Up!  Our freedom demands it.

In Memoriam…

All cartoons are posted with the artists’ express permission to TPZoo.
Paul Jamiol, Jamiol’s World

Support the Troops: Back door draft

CommonDreams

“I felt like I was being robbed of everything,” Matthew Dobbs said over the phone from his home in Houston, Texas. “I had visions of military police banging down my door and dragging me back to war.”

Dobbs, a 26 year-old former soldier who served a tour in Afghanistan from 2003-2004, was recounting a story that has become familiar in the ongoing Global War on Terror. It is the story of a soldier who, after serving a tour overseas and being discharged from Active Duty, received involuntary orders to re-deploy to Iraq or Afghanistan years later.

Dobbs was not a victim of stop-loss, the policy of involuntarily extending a GI’s term of service, sometimes after multiple tours in combat zones. This practice has recently garnered widespread negative attention and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates claims that it will be phased out.

Rather, Dobbs was a victim of reactivation orders from the Individual Ready Reserves (IRR), a lesser-publicized form of involuntary service that has been fueling troop supply for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. While there has been a strong reaction to stop-loss, IRR recall has slipped under the radar, creating the illusion that the problem of involuntary military service has been solved.

Keep reading…

No, stop-loss is not gone.  They just call it something else now.

Support the Troops:  Put a yellow ribbon magnet on your gas guzzler.

Is that it now…?

In memory…

via Corksphere

With Solemn Pride

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, armistice began. World War I, The “Great War,” the war between the Entente Powers (the Allies) and the Central Powers (led by Germany) had finally come to an end. The next year, President Woodrow Wilson declared November 11, 1919, to be Armistice Day. His proclamation began, “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations….”

No Room on the Wall

I know yesterday was Memorial Day, but this piece is worth putting up this morning. It is powerful and poignant.

Truthout

No Room on the Wall – by John Cory

When there is no room left on stone
To write the wrong
Or spell the sin
Who will name the dead?
– John Cory

May 1, 2008, marked the fifth anniversary of the “Mission Accomplished” spectacle by George Bush. Twelve days or so later, Staff Sgt. Travis Twiggs, a three-tour Iraq veteran, committed suicide and killed his brother, Willard J. Twiggs.
A Marine for fifteen years, Travis suffered from PTSD, even wrote about it; tried to still the beast by reaching out to help others, but in the end it killed him. Collateral damage included his brother and a stunned and grieving family. Editor and Publisher has the article.

While Bush, McCain and the GOP shout hosannas to war and scream about supporting the troops – back home and in need of help, veterans like Staff Sgt. Travis Twiggs find this as their support. You really don’t have PTSD, Sarge, just the readjustment blues. It will pass.

Miz Remy recently sent out a link to her vets regarding Agent Orange and prostate cancer rates among Vietnam Veterans. A glimpse of war without end.

In the absurdity of false wars, this article says it all. War memorials are running out of room to list the dead. Mission Accomplished.

Read this entire piece…

A must-read for this Memorial Day

Dead Troops Remembered By President Who Had Them Killed
by Bob Geiger (The Huffington Post)

Yes, that’s a harsh headline for this piece.

But I’ll ask you to forgive me because, as a Veteran, there isn’t a day on the calendar that causes my hatred — and I do indeed mean hatred — of George W. Bush to bubble over the top more than Memorial Day.

“On Memorial Day, we honor the heroes who have laid down their lives in the cause of freedom, resolve that they will forever be remembered by a grateful Nation, and pray that our country may always prove worthy of the sacrifices they have made,” reads Bush’s official Memorial Day proclamation, issued by the White House on Thursday.

The Chickenhawk-in Chief says a lot of things that make this Vet’s blood boil but stuff like saying that he prays “…that our country may always prove worthy of the sacrifices they have made” is almost vomit inducing.

This statement comes from the same man who himself began dishonoring the sacrifices of all Veterans in such huge ways in March of 2003, when he invaded Iraq behind a veil of lies and deceit and started spilling barrels of military and civilian blood to start a war with a country that posed no threat whatsoever to our national security. These stirring words of remembrance come from an administration that began with a stolen election in 2000, which goes entirely against what I was taught way back when I was in the U.S. Navy, which was that part of the “way of life” we were protecting was symbolized by the ability of all of our citizens to have their votes counted.

“These courageous and selfless warriors have stepped forward to protect the Nation they love, fight for America’s highest ideals, and show millions that a future of liberty is possible,” continues Bush’s proclamation. “Americans are grateful to all those who have put on our Nation’s uniform and to their families, and we will always remember their service and sacrifice for our freedoms.”

The words Bush puts forth are true — it’s him being the one to say them that I find so sickening and personally offensive.

Read this entire post – it is powerful and filled with cold, hard honesty.

Bob Geiger ends his post with these words:

The least Bush can do is stay in the White House today, keep his lying mouth shut and understand deep in his craven soul that the next day the Congress should declare a national holiday is January 20, 2009, the day he leaves office and his days of dishonoring our war dead are forever done.

UPDATE: One more must-read…

No Room On The Wall by John Cory (Truthout)

When there is no room left on stone
To write the wrong
Or spell the sin
Who will name the dead?
– John Cory