Memorial Day - Its Meaning and Observation

Each year, Memorial Day is pretty much the same for most Americans. Parties, barbecues, and informal get-togethers in the back yard with family. Scouring newspaper ads for all the sale prices, and making sure to hit the stores for the best deals over the three-day weekend. Or even staying home and doing chores on that ever-neglected to-do list, or just being lazy, and enjoying the time off work. A lot of Americans overlook the true meaning of Memorial Day in all the excitement.

It is difficult to prove the exact origins of Memorial Day, however, the day was officially proclaimed in 1868, by General John Logan, who was then the commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. The day was first observed on the 30^th day of May in 1868. To observe the day, citizens used flowers to decorate the graves of all soldiers, both Union and Confederate, at Arlington National Cemetery. Today, Memorial Day is still observed on the last Monday in the month of May each year, though some lawmakers are trying to pass a resolution to move the day back to May 30, in keeping with the date of the first Memorial Day. Though it is a widely-held belief that Memorial Day is to honor everyone that has passed away, whether military or civilian, the true purpose of Memorial Day is to honor all military service membersthat have given their lives in service to their country.

There are many time-honored traditions that are a part of Memorial Day. One of these traditions is the wearing of red poppies to honor all those who have given the ultimate sacrifice to protect the freedoms that Americans hold dear. The American Legion, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) give away red poppies that have been made by disabled veterans, and only ask for donations in return. This helps the veterans by providing them income, and gives citizens the opportunity to wear the poppies in memory of veterans who have given their lives in service to this nation. The poppy traditionally is a reminder that many thousands of lives have been lost in battle, and comes from Flanders Fields, where a historic World War One battle was fought. After the battle, this area was covered with poppies, that were just beginning to bloom. The poppy was adopted as a Memorial Day symbol as a result of this. Many Americans have no idea the significance of the red poppy, or veterans organizations promote their wearing at Memorial Day.

Another Memorial Day tradition is the parades that are held in towns all across the nation. These parades have become few and far between.

Memorial Day is observed by every state in the Union, but it seems that the public's observance of the traditions of the day has dwindled. Many Americans don't know about these traditions, or just don't care. Increasingly, the graves of the fallen are ignored and neglected. Most people are ignorant of the proper display of the United States flag.

As a way to bring back the time-honored Memorial Day traditions, and raise awareness of the true meaning of the day, a resolution was passed in December of 2000. This resolution asks that all Americans observe a moment of silence, or listen to a rendition of Taps at 3pm local time, and reflect on the sacrifices that so many have made for our country. Hopefully, awareness of Memorial Day's true meaning can be raised as a result of this resolution.