This past Monday was a day of barbecues, days off and sleeping in. Campus was deserted. Grocery stores had burger specials and the banks were closed. Some of you may have tuned in to the “Band of Brothers” marathon on Spike TV. It was a good series, of course. But do you know WHY it was on?
Monday was Memorial Day. This day was originally meant to commemorate the people who sacrificed their lives in the Civil War. After World War I, though, it was used to honor anyone who died in any war.
About 625,000 soldiers died in the U.S. Civil War, about 260,000 from the Confederacy and 365,000 from the Union.
World War I took over 100,000 soldiers.
405,000 died in World War II.
Over 50,000 died in Korea and about 60,000 were killed in Vietnam.
In more recent years, 1,000 troops have been killed in Afghanistan and more than 4,000 more in Iraq.
That’s more than 1,245,000 soldiers dead, and that’s only adding up the big wars. I ask you this: did you give those soldiers, who made the ultimate sacrifice, one thought as you bit into your big juicy cheeseburger on Monday?
Unless you live in an area with a large military presence, Monday probably came and went like an extra Sunday.
My girlfriend comes from a military town. I’ve gone with her to a few Friday night football games, and when the band plays the national anthem, there is not a sound coming from the crowd. Everyone stands respectfully and silently until the very end.
Let’s contrast this with an N.C. State football game. Look around at the next game you go to. The band takes the field, and the first few measures begin to play. The girl on your left is still chatting to her friends about where she went last night and with who and who was there and what they were all wearing. The guy on your right is discussing with his buddies whether they can beat the crowd to Cook Out after the game. But of course, everyone joins right in when it comes to the “home of the Wolfpack” bit. Because if you sing the last line, even though you changed a word, it counts as patriotism, right? Oh, and don’t forget yelling out “red” in the middle of the song. That’s important too.
And I have to say, some people are just stupid. I was actually told “Happy Memorial Day” more than once. Seriously? You’re happy that countless soldiers have died over the years protecting your right to grill out in peace? If you think about it, it’s really a holiday that shouldn’t even be “celebrated”; a better term would be “observed.” I guess you could say that you’re “celebrating” the lives those soldiers, if you want to get technical, but that’s really grasping at straws.
So I have a simple request: Next Memorial Day, when you’re lighting up the grill and cracking open a beer, pause for a second to think about the fact that if it wasn’t for those soldiers, there’s a possibility that grilling and drinking in the backyard would not be an option. While everyone is eating and enjoying their picnics, try to remember the sacrifice that made this day possible. On the 4th of July, between “oohs” and “ahs” during the fireworks, think about the soldiers that spent months or years even, watching bombs explode overhead instead. And every now and again, even though it’s not an official holiday, just a random Tuesday or whatever day it happens to be, don’t be afraid to take a second to think back and appreciate all that the soldiers have done and still do to protect our country.
