I just got off the phone with a teacher who is a friend of mine.  He said the school where he teaches said nothing about Memorial Day other than to cheerfully remind the children that they had a 3 day weekend!  Woohoo!  A 3 day weekend!  Only the name was mentioned once and nothing was said about what it means.  Contrast that with the activities running up to Martin Luther King Day with all sorts of public announcements, speeches, events, and where teachers are sternly reminded to schedule activities and to teach all about that man and the history associated.  For Memorial Day… nothing.  Nada.  Zip.  3 day weekend!  Woohoo!

If we are to be honest about it the rest of the U.S. doesn’t do much either, other than maybe just enjoy the day off and possibly have a barbecue.  Our fallen soldiers deserve so much more.  It is even more blatant and shameful that we act this way while we are at war with troops in the field and dieing in our service right now.  The Washington Post printed an opinion piece today that I think is dead on target (emphasis added):

It shouldn’t be this way.

If ever there was a day when the country should call a timeout on fun and self-indulgent distractions and devote some serious time to a solemn observance, it’s this Memorial Day. Goodness knows, enough Americans have given their lives to make it possible.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, beginning with the American Revolution and continuing through the war on terrorism (as of Sept. 30, 2005), there were 652,696 American battle deaths, including 53,402 in World War I; 291,557 in World War II; 33,741 in the Korean War; 47,424 in Vietnam; and 147 in Desert Shield-Desert Storm. Those totals don’t include the other Americans who died in those theaters of war. That total comes to 14,416. To devote one day to the honor of 667,112 American souls should not be asking too much. Evidently it is.

Otherwise, why will the malls, auto showrooms and ballparks be open for business on Memorial Day? Why, on Monday, will sales outnumber memorial services?

…

[Soldiers], more than any other group of Americans, are bearing the brunt of decisions made by politicians in Washington. Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan — not the well-protected people in the White House, the Pentagon, the State Department and Congress — are the ones losing arms, legs and life itself. An indebted nation owes them more than can ever be repaid. A single, uncluttered day of honor would be a good start. It’s the least a grateful America can do.