Why do citizens of the United States have a Memorial Day holiday?

[GregB0Participant]

The current “National Holidays” recognized within the United States of America were established by Congress in recognition of events which allow for “patriotic celebration” and are only applicable to federal employees and the District of Columbia. Individual states decide which, if any, legal holidays they recognize.

Each National Holiday highlights a specific aspect of the American heritage that molded the United States as a people and a nation. While some may be considered holdovers from the United Kingdom or other European nations, the majority are patently not. The first four were New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. In 1885, Congress began to extend holiday coverage to federal employees outside Washington.

Decoration Day (now Memorial Day) was approved in 1888 and allowed federal employees to pay their respects to those soldiers that lost their lives in the American Civil War. While there were many wars and conflicts prior to 1888, (the War of 1812, American Indian Wars, the Mexican-American War, and expansion conflicts within Texas and the Far East), most federal employees at this time had firsthand knowledge / experience with the American Civil War and those service members who had just recently lost their lives.

Regardless of opinions as to why it was created, this specific holiday allowed federal employees to honor slain soldiers, often relatives and friends, who gave their lives in armed conflict without losing a day’s pay. Pay, if nothing else, allowed everyone eligible to participate in this holiday without acknowledging one side or the other.

The original intent of Memorial Day was different from “Armistice Day” which was created in 1938 to mark the close of World War I hostilities. In 1954, the scope of this holiday was broadened to honor Americans who fought in World War II and the Korean conflict, and the name of the holiday was changed to Veterans Day.

As a recognized American ethos, honoring those who gave their lives to ensure state, national and international interests dates back to the beginning of recorded history. There are certainly MGTOW.com members who disagree in the value of armed conflict, or the political decisions that authorize (or not) it’s use, but every nation in the world has similar recognitions for their respective fallen service members.

Even if one does not keep the memories of service members, their actions or the actions of their respective nation alive on this specific day, everyone enjoys getting paid to not work, or receive some type of stipend/compensation for working.

With this in mind, Happy Memorial Day to all who choose to honor those military and civilian members who went their own way and paid the ultimate price for doing so.

​"​My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.​" - Clarence Buddinton Kelland

[Anonymous 42]

Respect to those that gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Resentment for those whom are spoiled little bitches that have nothing but complaints and disrespect for those that gave their one and only life. I watched them spit in their faces!

I may bitch about the way things are now, but I’ll never forget the men, mostly men by far that gave me the freedoms I take advantage of today! And the modern world I dwell in today where their ideas, sweat, and blood, give me the wonders of technology I enjoy every day!

Thank-you! From the bottom of my stone cold heart.

[Anonymous 1]

[It’sallbsParticipant]

Anonymous wrote:

Respect to those that gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Resentment for those whom are spoiled little bitches that have nothing but complaints and disrespect for those that gave their one and only life. I watched them spit in their faces!

I may bitch about the way things are now, but I’ll never forget the men, mostly men by far that gave me the freedoms I take advantage of today! And the modern world I dwell in today where their ideas, sweat, and blood, give me the wonders of technology I enjoy every day!

Thank-you! From the bottom of my stone cold heart.

Do you understand just how much of history is a lie?

That said, I agree with your post of course it’s never the politicians that manipulate the events that risk their lives.

http://www.leavemeansleave.eu

[GregB0Participant]

Anonymous wrote:

I may bitch about the way things are now, but I’ll never forget the men, mostly men by far that gave me the freedoms I take advantage of today!

Absolutely with you Tower, 1000%.

​"​My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.​" - Clarence Buddinton Kelland

[GregB0Participant]

Agreed Forsaken,

Like almost everthing in life, the 99% are carried by the 01% who do the heavy lifting in whatever capacity is required at the time

​"​My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.​" - Clarence Buddinton Kelland

[GregB0Participant]

It’sallbs wrote:

Do you understand just how much of history is a lie?

It’s not the history that lies, but the facts (told and/or untold) supporting & justifying that history that should be questioned and renounced.

It’sallbs wrote:

it’s never the politicians that manipulate the events that risk their lives.

Military members become politicians, but politicians should never consider themselves capable of military service.

Their values will ensure that they are incapable of performing their duties and responsibilities in a manner that is self-effacing and benefits the majority of those involved.

​"​My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.​" - Clarence Buddinton Kelland

[It’sallbsParticipant]

GregB0 wrote:

99% are carried by the 01%

Agree with that 100%

http://www.leavemeansleave.eu

[It’sallbsParticipant]

GregB0 wrote:

It’s not the history that lies, but the facts (told and/or untold) supporting & justifying that history that should be questioned and renounced.

Yes That’s what I mean.

GregB0 wrote:

Military members become politicians, but politicians should never consider themselves capable of military service.

Their values will ensure that they are incapable of performing their duties and responsibilities in a manner that is self-effacing and benefits the majority of those involved.

I’m sure you are right Gregbo.

Any way your fallen soldiers and veterans do have my respect regardless of my views on things. I buy a poppy every Novemember. Both my grandfathers fought in Europe in WW2 and one of them also in Burma.

http://www.leavemeansleave.eu

[Anonymous 1]

Anonymous wrote:

Resentment for those whom are spoiled little bitches that have nothing but complaints and disrespect for those that gave their one and only life. I watched them spit in their faces!

…and my Step-Dad was one of those Vietnam Veterans. Coming back home and getting spit on by some California Hippie piece of s~~~.

I don’t politically agree with the Wars post WWII, but I respect the soldiers that enlisted. My Step-Dad enlisted in Vietnam because he wanted to be an honorable warrior like his Grandfather, a WWI Vet. Not only did the kids spit on him back home, but the older adults did too. He lost his longterm Girl over it because her Father said Vietnam Vets were SCUM and Baby Killers.

He just wanted to be a Hero for his God and his Country and this was how they repaid him?

What kind of a country spits on returning vets? What kind of a country encourages their children to PUSH A VET OUT OF HIS WHEELCHAIR!!! What kind of a country could that be?

Sorry, this Country lost my PATRIOTISM when they spit on my Step-Dad. No way I will ever enlist for these ungrateful SCUM after what they did to him. THEY HAVE NO HONOR!!!

[Anonymous 1]

Ok that was my Step Dad’s story…

Here is some reality passed on to me by lately deceased Grandfather.

Going over to Germany in WWII and watching every single one of the Men in front of him blown to pieces. He was an alcoholic from that point on in his life. Everybody said he had an “ANGER PROBLEM.” When he died everybody s~~~ on him at the funeral and said he was a piece of s~~~. That’s how grateful the Baby Boomers were….

When he was on his death bed he told the truth about what really happened. When you see everybody die. When the people you are fighting look just like you “Same blond hair, same blue eyes, same Christian Cross around their neck, Same Bible in their front pocket, same picture of the Wife and Kids back home.” He looked down at the dead Soldiers and he saw himself lying there dead on the ground. “It could have been me” he says to himself.

No respect, no gratitude, no understanding. HE WAS JUST AN ASSHOLE is what my Uncle says about him. My Uncle’s generation the same generation that spit on the Vietnam Vets.

Again, this is why I will never Enlist for U$A.

[FunInTheSunParticipant 8283]

Happy Get Paid To Not Work Day, all ye federal employees!

Just kidding. I honor the soldiers who have fought to ensure that we Americans, and people of other nations, could live in a free society.

"I saw that there comes a point, in the defeat of any man of virtue, when his own consent is needed for evil to win-and that no manner of injury done to him by others can succeed if he chooses to withhold his consent. I saw that I could put an end to your outrages by pronouncing a single word in my mind. I pronounced it. The word was ‘No.’" (Atlas Shrugged)

[FunInTheSunParticipant 8283]

Anonymous wrote:

What kind of a country spits on returning vets? What kind of a country encourages their children to PUSH A VET OUT OF HIS WHEELCHAIR!!! What kind of a country could that be?

Sorry, this Country lost my PATRIOTISM when they spit on my Step-Dad. No way I will ever enlist for these ungrateful SCUM after what they did to him. THEY HAVE NO HONOR!!!

There’s one thing that bothers me: the Vietnam Veterans were never officially welcomed home by the U.S. government. If there was a definite goal to be achieved, and an exit strategy, and a signed peace treaty, then the soldiers could’ve been welcomed home with a parade. That would’ve helped their morale and the post-war healing process.

"I saw that there comes a point, in the defeat of any man of virtue, when his own consent is needed for evil to win-and that no manner of injury done to him by others can succeed if he chooses to withhold his consent. I saw that I could put an end to your outrages by pronouncing a single word in my mind. I pronounced it. The word was ‘No.’" (Atlas Shrugged)

[Anonymous 1]

FunInTheSun wrote:

Just kidding. I honor the soldiers who have fought to ensure that we Americans, and people of other nations, could live in a free society.

Yes, WWI and WWII were supposed to protect the Free Peoples of Europe. Take a good look at Great Britain today, arresting people for freedom of speech. Take good look at Europe being overrun with African and Arab immigrants.

Is that what a “Free Society” looks like?

I wonder what the WWII vets would think of their sacrifice now? If only they could have lived to see these times…

[RomulusParticipant 4667]

I am reminded that their final sacrifice………. is the beginning of our efforts to keep secure the freedoms they fought and died for:

_____________________________________________________________________

We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives, that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground.

The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract.

The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.

It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.

It is for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain.

That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

How can a woman be expected to be happy with a man who insists on treating her as if she were a perfectly normal human being.

[It’sallbsParticipant]

I don’t have any freedoms.

http://www.leavemeansleave.eu

[GregB0Participant]

It’sallbs wrote:

I buy a poppy every Novemember. Both my grandfathers fought in Europe in WW2 and one of them also in Burma

I do the same whenever any of the veterans groups set up a table. Thank you for your families service. I had Uncles on from both sides that fought in both the Pacific and Atlantic fronts. One was a pilot is Guadalcanal, another infantry at D-Day and others had Navy fleet service. Dad had Korea, Vietnam and ASA service.

​"​My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.​" - Clarence Buddinton Kelland

[GregB0Participant]

Anonymous wrote:

THEY HAVE NO HONOR!!!

While many do not it’s their right to be able to express what they feel.

Their actions are yet another reason to remember those who died defending the rights and privileges that we as Americans have.

Being an American Male sucks most of the time but the alternative is worse!

​"​My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.​" - Clarence Buddinton Kelland

[Anonymous 42]

When I was a little kid in the mid 60s’ I can remember going to a Memorial Day parade and seeing what seemed like an army of retired soldiers, some going back as far as WWI. The striking thing about them is many of them were in wheelchairs with one or no legs, being followed and pushed by others that only had one arm, It was the first time I saw the carnage of war and recognized it for what it was. I was terribly disturbed and spooked by that from what I can remember. That may have been the first time I felt the emotion of empathy.

[GregB0Participant]

Anonymous wrote:

He was an alcoholic from that point on in his life.

Anonymous wrote:

“It could have been me” he says to himself.

Dad was one of seven from his Company (256 assigned) at he Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, he was breveted to Major due to having no commissioned officers alive during or after the war.

Like your Grandfather, Dad used drinking as a coping mechanism for both Korea and Vietnam. It and drugs are easy ways to cope. I drank for several years after my first deployment but was able to cut back before true damage was done.

thank you for your familys service

​"​My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.​" - Clarence Buddinton Kelland

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