As we recognize Memorial Day and honor the dead, I ask you this: Are all wars the same or are some

[no_hypocrisy]

more important and poignant than others?

Specifically when I think of Memorial Day, the emphasis seems to be on the Second World War, the Korean War, Vietnam, both Iraq conflicts with some recognition to the First World War. There doesn't seem to be as much introspection about the Civil War, the Revolutionary War, the Spanish-American War. Soldiers died during these conflicts for different purposes and policies. The 20th Century concentration of war dead seems to fit a political agenda if not national identity.

Does Memorial Day belong to all the war dead or just the few we can remember?

[geckosfeet]

1. Isn't Memorial Day a US holdiay? If so - then it's for all our war dead.

I would go so far as including Native Americans during the 'settling' of the country.

Don't you think? Other countries have similar holidays.

[90-percent]

2. my thoughts

I always get confused over which wars were just and necessary to save "the American way of Life" and which were merely in the "War is a Racket" category.

It's hard to think of WW2 as a war of choice. I think democracy was really threatened over that one! The rest after WW2 seemed to have been wars of choice or complete blunders and miscalculations.

And the Second Iraq War was an act of treason and War Crimes by the Entire Bush Administration. It has my vote for most unnecessary war in US history.

Jim

[Lasher]

4. We should honor the soldiers regardless of the conflict. They don't pick the wars.

No soldier deserves to come home to an ungrateful nation.

[csziggy]

10. Exactly what we should have learned from Vietnam

The vast majority of the people in the military are good people doing the jobs they were given. They should not be blamed for the bad actors or the decisions of their leaders.

[Thothmes]

6. As was Johnson's needless in Vietnam.

[Stinky The Clown]

3. Do you recall the years when Viet Nam vets were not welcomed in any of this?

The American Legion and VFW didn't want them. They weren't asked to squeeze into their old uniforms to march in front of the fire trucks down Main Street. They weren't part of the honor guards.

Our national mood evolves .... constantly.




To answer your question, though ...... I think Memorial Day is for ***all*** fallen Americans who wore national uniforms. I put Confederate soldiers in that same group. Lots of people might disagree with that.

[Lasher]

5. I remember.

I was drafted. I was never in combat. After I honorably did my time it stung to feel the contempt when I got back stateside to muster out. I remember. I make a point of showing appreciation when today's vets return from this unpopular war. Not much but I do my part.

[Thothmes]

7. that is not uncommon

the newly returning WWII vets were not welcomed with open arms in the AL posts by the WWI vets that made up the majority of the membership.

[XemaSab]

8. I think a willingness to serve and lay down your life for your country should be honored

:patriot:

And that goes for big conflicts and small conflicts.

Does the soldier who joined in September of 2000 with the sole intent of getting GI Bill money for college deserve less than the guy who joined in September of 2001 with the intent of defending the country?

I say no.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

9. To the victims, civilian and military, they are indistinguishable.

“What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy.” - Gandhi

[Arugula Latte]

11. I just wish that

more young people today realized BEFORE they sign up for a branch of the military that if they are asked to put their life on the line and risk the possibility of death and maiming more likely than not they will be taking the risk for the interests of U.S. corporations and political calculation (see Iraq War) and not for ideals such as "freedom."

[90-percent]

12. enlisting today

People that join the military seem to have a genuine motivation to patriotically serve their country. They serve for what they understand are the best reasons to put your life on the line, for your country and which it stands; the American way of life.

They need to be told they will be used as pawns in wars that serve the elite at the expense of the vast majority of us. They need to be told if they follow orders directly from the White House, they will be betrayed and sacrificed by this very White House if they get caught.

I am in awe of the brass balls Cheney has when he can appear on TV less than a week ago and give the old "bad apples" rhetoric about Abu Ghraib abuses. I'm sure that's comforting to all those in jail as a direct result of carrying out exactly what the White House ordered them to do. (See Janice Karpinski's recent appearance on Keith for that one!)

People serve for the best of reasons and then THEIR OWN GOVERNMENT uses them up and betrays them. Fighting for your country is one thing. Fighting for the sociopaths that run it is quite another!

Cheney is telling them, quite literally; "So, you made a mistake, you trusted your government." Cheney considers American servicemen and women to be as disposable as surgical gloves! And just as valuable.

-90% Jimmy

[surrealAmerican]

13. Memorial Day was originally established in the US ...

... to honor the Civil War dead (it was called "Decoration Day"). In all fairness, we will always most remember those we can literally remember. It's not as though we now view the Civil War as "unworthy"; we just have no personal memory of the people who died then.