The Memorial Day Holiday is one of the most misunderstood and least appreciated events on the American calendar. Instead of paying sincere and genuine tribute to the men and women of valor who sacrified their lives so that we might enjoy the priviliges and benefits of being citizens in a free society, many of us desecrate the memory of their bravery by reducing this "holiday" to a time of consumer spending, picnics, BBQ and other forms of social frivolity. In recent years Memorial Day has symbollically become to represent the unofficial start of summer.

We are derelict as individuals, a church and as a nation in not teaching the importance of this "holiday". As a church we should be instilling the proper values in our youth about memorials as reflected in the Book of Joshua chapter 4. If anyone is planning a visit to Wash DC this summer you should include visiting Arlington Cemetery, Vietnam War Memorial & the Korean War Memorial as part of your itinerary. The founding and evolution of this great country is inextricably linked with conflcit and war. This is an historical fact. However, I find it fundamentally contradictory for Christian clergy and laymen to exercise their dissenting views about military intervention ( a right I support) yet fail to honor those gallant men who died in battle so that we can have freedom of religion.

Now I am no "Scrooge" when it comes to rest, relaxation and other types of social intercourse. I fully enjoy opportunities to endulge in food and fun but I recognize the truth espoused by the author of Ecclessiastes that "there is a time and place for everything". Memorial Day is first and foremost a time to remember and a time to give thanks to fallen US military personnel. I will be taking my kids to view a Memorial Day event where I live. For those who are the most ardent pacifists as well as White House critiics and Bush "haters" this is a day to put aside partisan differences and strive for unity in purpose and action. QED

-- Anonymous, May 26, 2003