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If Memorial Day really happens today...
Topic Started: May 29 2011, 04:48 AM (284 Views)
Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
Maybe we should remember what it means. Otherwise maybe it doesn't happen.

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Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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George K
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Finally
Well said.

I saw a poll somewhere that said, "What are your plans for memorial day?

Grill and Barbecue
Picnic
Yardwork
Same thing I do every weekend, but for one more day."

Remembering the fallen was not on the list.
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"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... "
- Mik, 6/14/08


Nothing is as effective as homeopathy.

I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles.
- Klaus, 4/29/18
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George K
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Finally
Posted Image
A guide to GKSR: Click

"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... "
- Mik, 6/14/08


Nothing is as effective as homeopathy.

I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles.
- Klaus, 4/29/18
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Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
A bit more information on Memorial Day


Quote:
 
Memorial Day 2011
By Oliver North

QUANTICO NATIONAL CEMETERY -- When I was a kid, we called May 30 "Decoration Day." It was an occasion for Boy Scouts to be up before dawn and report, in uniform, to the American Legion hall. There, Cub Scouts would be paired with older Boy Scouts, organized into detachments of a dozen or so and issued bags of small American flags. The groups then "deployed" in station wagons and pickup trucks to local cemeteries and churchyards, where we placed Old Glory on every veteran's grave. Later in the morning, there was a parade down Main Street, led by a color guard, the high-school band and ranks of veterans from World War I, World War II and the war of the moment, Korea. The Veterans of Foreign Wars sold red poppies to raise funds for the disabled. Politicians made speeches, and citizens prayed in public. It was a solemn annual event that taught us reverence for those who served and sacrificed for our country. It's no longer so.

Begun as a local observance in the aftermath of the Civil War, the first national commemoration took place May 30, 1868, at the direction of Gen. John A. Logan, commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. Though his General Order No. 11 specified "strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion" -- meaning only Union soldiers -- those who tended the burial sites at Arlington, Va., Gettysburg, Pa., and Vicksburg, Miss., decided on their own to decorate the biers of both Union and Confederate war dead.

For five decades, the holiday remained essentially unchanged. But in 1919, as the bodies of young Americans were being returned to the U.S. from the battlefields of World War I, May 30 became a truly national event. It persisted as such until 1971, during Vietnam -- the war America wanted to forget -- when the Uniform Monday Holiday Act passed by Congress went into effect and turned Memorial Day into a "three-day weekend." Since then, it's become an occasion for appliance, mattress and auto sales, picnics, barbecues and auto races. Thankfully, there are some places besides Arlington National Cemetery where Memorial Day still is observed as a time to honor America's war dead. Here in Triangle, Va., the Marines do it right.

Like all Marine Corps installations, every major structure at Quantico is named for a fallen fellow warrior. On May 13, hundreds of Marines and their families gathered to dedicate a new staff noncommissioned officer academy, named in honor of Sgt. Kenneth Conde Jr. Our Fox News' "War Stories" team was embedded with his unit, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, in Ramadi, Iraq, during April 2004. Shortly after Sgt. Conde was wounded in action during a gunfight with enemy insurgents, I asked him why he refused to be medically evacuated. His response: "There is no other choice for a sergeant in the Marine Corps. You have to lead your Marines."

Cpl. Jared McKenzie, one of Conde's Marines, said of his sergeant: "He always led from the front and never asked us to do something he wouldn't do." Sgt. Conde was awarded a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for his valor and wounds in that engagement. On July 1, just eight days after his 23rd birthday, he was killed by an improvised explosive device.

At the dedication ceremony, Conde's battalion commander, Col. Paul Kennedy, described the young sergeant as "a courageous, inspiring leader." The fallen Marine's father, Kenneth Conde Sr., said: "I'm wearing my son's combat boots. Though they fit, I could never fill them."

Just down the road from Conde Hall is another testament to how the Marines honor America's heroes. Quantico National Cemetery occupies 725 beautifully landscaped acres donated by the Marines to the Veterans Administration in 1977. This final resting place for more than 28,000 Americans who served in every branch of our armed forces is closely linked to some of the most crucial events in U.S. military history. The fledgling Continental Navy prepared to battle the British fleet here in 1775-76. During the Civil War, it was a blockade point and subsequently a logistics base during the bloody battle for Fredericksburg. In 1918, the Marines established a training base and an air station for units deploying to fight in World War I. Since 1941, Quantico has been the home of the Marines' Officer Candidates School and The Basic School for all Marine officers. Today it is also home to the FBI and DEA academies.

On Memorial Day, an "Avenue of Honor" through Quantico National Cemetery is adorned with American flags. A "Memorial Pathway" displays monuments to Edson's Raiders of WWII fame and recipients of the Purple Heart; memorials to the 1st, 4th and 6th Marine divisions; and a monument erected to America's veterans by the commonwealth of Virginia.

This is also the final resting place for a close friend -- and a reminder of present-day peril. On Feb. 17, 1988, U.S. Marine Col. William "Rich" Higgins was kidnapped in Beirut by Iranian-supported Hezbollah terrorists. They murdered him in July 1990. His remains were interred here in 1991. Rich Higgins' gravesite is my Memorial Day reminder that the streets of heaven really are guarded by U.S. Marines. So are the streets of America.

Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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Axtremus
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HOLY CARP!!!
George K
May 29 2011, 04:55 AM
Well said.

I saw a poll somewhere that said, "What are your plans for memorial day?

Grill and Barbecue
Picnic
Yardwork
Same thing I do every weekend, but for one more day."

Remembering the fallen was not on the list.
Been thinking about this sort of phenomena ...

Humans tend to prefer celebrations to mournings.

"Christmas," for example, is about celebrating a particular birth. So long as it is "celebration," let's all party, throw a parade, exchange gifts, drink up, everybody has fun!!!

"Memorial Day" is not about celebrating. All the "fun things" you associate with "celebration" are just not appropriate. No party, no parade. Raising a glass in memory is emotionally more taxing than toasting in celebration. Thinking of the dead is just not as pleasant. So people block that part out of their minds.

It's an uphill battle trying to get people the masses to keep mourning in the forefront of their minds.

(EDIT: people the masses)
Edited by Axtremus, May 29 2011, 06:08 AM.
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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
Axtremus
May 29 2011, 05:30 AM
It's an uphill battle trying to get people to keep mourning in the forefront of their minds.
Yeah. You go ahead and tell that to someone who lost a family member in a war.
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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George K
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Finally
How to Fly the American Flag

With Memorial Day approaching, we thought it might be a good time to take a look at the rules for respectfully displaying the American flag. We’ve covered the customs surrounding flying the flag at half-staff before, so today let’s take a look at some other sections of the United States Flag Code.

When did these rules fall into place?

Surprisingly late in American history. On Flag Day in 1923, a group of organizations headed by the American Legion outlined the National Flag Code as a set of advisory rules for displaying the flag. These rules became law during World War II and form the bulk of what’s now the United States Flag Code.

These rules cover all manner of extremely specific situations, but they’re all governed by the same basic principle: the flag is one of the most visible and important symbols of our country, so we should treat it with respect.

When is it acceptable to fly the flag upside down?

The flag code allows for flying the flag with the union (the blue field of stars) down only “as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.”

We know that the American flag is supposed to be displayed in a position of prominence over other flags on American soil. Are there any exceptions to this rule?

Section 7 of the flag code provides one major exception: the flag of the United Nations can be flown in the position of honor or prominence at the U.N. headquarters in New York.

The only other exception involves church services performed by naval chaplains while at sea. In these instances, the church’s flag may fly about the American flag during the service.

Are you really supposed to lower the flag at sunset?

You don’t have to. While the flag code notes that displaying the flag only from sunrise to sunset is “universal custom,” it makes an exception. “However, when a patriotic effect is desired, the flag may be displayed 24 hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness.”

When should the flag be displayed?

Section 6 of the flag code states, “The flag should be displayed on all days.” However, the code goes on to say that the flag should especially (emphasis added) be displayed on the following days: New Year’s Day, Inauguration Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Lincoln’s birthday, Washington’s birthday, Easter, Mother’s Day, Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Father’s Day, Independence Day, National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, Labor Day, Constitution Day, Columbus Day, Navy Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, state holidays, states’ dates of admission, and “such other days as may be proclaimed by the President of the United States.”

Where should the flag be displayed?

Section 6 of the flag code covers this question, too. The flag should be displayed in or near every schoolhouse on school days, on or near the main administration building of every public institution each day, and in or near every polling place on election days.

Why doesn’t, say, the Dream Team take the courts in American-flag jerseys at the Olympics?

The flag code thought of that one, too. Section 8 of the code covers “Respect for the Flag,” and it explicitly states, “No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations.”

Any other restrictions on wearing the flag?

Section 8 also states, “The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery.”

What about those American flag lapel pins that so many folks wear?

The flag code thought of that one, too. Section 8 rather elegantly states, “The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing. Therefore, the lapel flag pin being a replica, should be worn on the left lapel near the heart.”

Is it true you have to retire and burn a flag that touches the ground?

No, that’s a myth. The flag code is quite a bit more realistic about this situation. While the code states, “The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise,” there’s no rule saying that a flag that slips has to immediately be burned.

Instead, the code stipulates, “The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.” Unless hitting the ground once renders the flag unfit for display, there’s no need to burn it.

What’s the penalty for breaking the flag code?

There isn’t one. The flag code is an odd duck in this regard. As part of the United States Code, the flag code is technically federal law. However, the code doesn’t outline any measures for enforcement or punishment. Basically, the flag code is a set of advisory rules for Americans who want to know the proper and respectful way to display their flag.

Even if the flag code did provide measures for its enforcement, it’s not clear that the measures would be constitutional. Individual states used to have their own prohibitions on and penalties for desecrating the flag, but the 1989 Supreme Court decision Texas v. Johnson invalidated these laws as infringements on free speech. Congress responded by passing the Flag Protection Act, which made flag desecration a federal crime. The Supreme Court struck down this law in the 1990 case United States v. Eichman.

Can anyone stop me from displaying the flag?

In 2006 the Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005 officially became law. This law basically says that no condo board, housing co-op, or residential real estate management group can restrict a person’s right to display the American flag on their own residential property as long as the display jibes with federal law and is reasonable.

What days is the flag always flown at half-staff?

The flag always flies on half-staff on Patriot Day (September 11 of each year), Peace Officers Memorial Day (May 15), and Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (December 7). On Memorial Day, the flag flies at half-staff until noon, at which point it is raised to the top of the staff.

What if I can’t fly my flag at half-staff?

Some flags, like the ones commonly seen in school classrooms or on houses, are fixed in a certain position on their poles. How does one handle the sticky situation of a flag that physically can’t be flown at half-staff? The United States Code doesn’t cover this conundrum, but the American Legion advocates adding a black ribbon to the top of the flag’s pole to indicate mourning.

What about adding new stars for new states?

Should we ever pick up a 51st state, Section 2 of the flag code stipulates that the state will get a new star on the flag. It won’t be an overnight process, though. The new star will make its debut on the first Fourth of July following the state’s formal admission into the union.
A guide to GKSR: Click

"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... "
- Mik, 6/14/08


Nothing is as effective as homeopathy.

I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles.
- Klaus, 4/29/18
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Axtremus
Member Avatar
HOLY CARP!!!
Aqua Letifer
May 29 2011, 05:38 AM
Axtremus
May 29 2011, 05:30 AM
It's an uphill battle trying to get people the masses to keep mourning in the forefront of their minds.
Yeah. You go ahead and tell that to someone who lost a family member in a war.
Edited for clarity.
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jon-nyc
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Cheers
My grandfather once told me that as a school boy they would have a civil war veteran come speak to their class on Decoration Day.

Can you imagine? You're a boy of 7 or 8, and there's an old man with a long grey beard telling you first hand stories of Cold Harbor or the Seven Pines?
In my defense, I was left unsupervised.
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Larry
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Mmmmmmm, pie!
Yeah, just think how far we've come... now he wouldn't be allowed to come because it might upset someone's feelings, and it would take time away from the regular studies of the evils of capitalism and the "military industrial complex". Besides, it's not what Che would do....
Of the Pokatwat Tribe

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Jolly
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Geaux Tigers!
Axtremus
May 29 2011, 05:30 AM
George K
May 29 2011, 04:55 AM
Well said.

I saw a poll somewhere that said, "What are your plans for memorial day?

Grill and Barbecue
Picnic
Yardwork
Same thing I do every weekend, but for one more day."

Remembering the fallen was not on the list.
Been thinking about this sort of phenomena ...

Humans tend to prefer celebrations to mournings.

"Christmas," for example, is about celebrating a particular birth. So long as it is "celebration," let's all party, throw a parade, exchange gifts, drink up, everybody has fun!!!

"Memorial Day" is not about celebrating. All the "fun things" you associate with "celebration" are just not appropriate. No party, no parade. Raising a glass in memory is emotionally more taxing than toasting in celebration. Thinking of the dead is just not as pleasant. So people block that part out of their minds.

It's an uphill battle trying to get people the masses to keep mourning in the forefront of their minds.

(EDIT: people the masses)
It is not mourning for the masses, it is remembering.

It is acknowledgement.

It is respect.

It is a simple, "Thank you".

No, it is not mourning...
The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.- George Soros
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