The Color Guard from the U.S. Marines lead the way for a past year’s West Pittston-Exeter Memorial Day Parade.
Is it too politically correct to suggest — as you will find in searching the web — that we all avoid “Happy Memorial Day?”
On the one hand, wishing someone a happy any day should be acceptable (if a bit creepy, should you say it to every person every day). And certainly in the broad context of cookouts, family gatherings and the misnamed “start of spring” the weekend commemorates, “Happy Memorial Day” seems at least OK. As the saying goes, for most of us, that’s probably not the hill we want to die on.
But that’s actually the point. Monday isn’t about reunions, grills, camping trips, or most of the other things many associate with “Memorial Day.” It is, by its name and origins, a day to remember those who died in military service, whether on a hill or not, whether in battle or not.
“Happy” doesn’t apply.
It can’t.
The original declaration of “Decoration Day” by Major General John A. Logan in 1868 — officially “General Orders No. 11” and dubbed the “Memorial Day Act” — called for the nation to remember its war dead and decorate their graves with flowers. In fact, May 30 was selected (according to cem.va.gov) to ensure grave visitors would have access to “the choicest flowers of springtime.”
At the time, the thoughts understandably were of those who died in the Civil War. “We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance,” G.O. 11 advised. “Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.”
Though referring to the recent carnage of a war nearly rending the country asunder, the sentiment is timeless and universal. As Memorial Day evolved to include all who died in service to the armed forces, the applicability of the quote effortlessly expanded.
We wonder how many people visit veterans’ graves this weekend, bringing flowers, perhaps a flag to plant if one isn’t already there. We don’t know how many people here or anywhere have a veteran in their family past who served, much less who died in service (or was even wounded). If you haven’t already, we encourage you to consider visiting the graves of veterans you know as part of this week’s commemoration. Or just visit a cemetery and soak in the somber vista dotted with graveside flags.
We also encourage you to attend one of the Memorial Day parades in the area. The West Side Memorial Day Parade steps off Monday at 10:30 a.m. from Kingston Corners.
In 1950, a Congressional joint resolution called “on the people of the United States to observe Memorial Day by praying, according to their individual religious faith, for permanent peace.”
When that happens, when Memorial Day comes year after year with no newly buried bodies of those who died in military service, well, yes.
Then we can say “Happy Memorial Day.”
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