It Used to be Memorial Day

Memorial Day has come and passed and I couldn't help but offer a few observations. First and foremost, I was saddened by the fact that Austin schools, and I later heard some Houston and San Antonio schools as well, held classes. We have one day set aside on the entire calendar to honor our fallen heroes, those brave men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. There wouldn't be a United States of America without their service, without their courage under fire, and without their willingness to stare tyranny in the face with the fate of future generations at hand. We owe these patriots as much or more reflection as we give our forefathers on the Fourth of July. Memorial Day should be as sacred a holiday on the school calendar as Christmas, Thanksgiving or Good Friday. Shame on the administrators who treated it so callously.

Of course, it occurs to me that most kids probably just wanted the day off to go see the Hangover 2, and even President Obama felt it was an appropriate day to play his 70th round of golf. I'm actually surprised he didn't schedule a fundraiser. In fact, the media seems to treat the whole weekend as some leisurely holiday invented by Hollywood to sell more popcorn. Hence, we get 30 minute updates on box office receipts while stories of America's glory are all but ignored.

There is no greater day than Memorial Day to thank God for delivering us from slavery, for uniting us as one nation under God, for the right to worship freely, and for the fortitude to defend these principles at all costs. The words "land of the free and home of the brave" take on extra significance this day or at least they used to. There are so many American heroes to honor, and yet we spend our time idolizing superheroes at the multiplex. As I posted for my friends on facebook this weekend:

"Our forefathers sacrificed their lives to guarantee freedoms that would enrich future generations. Today, we sacrifice our freedoms to live cheaper, more convenient lives at the expense of future generations."

Such is the Age of Narcissism. It used to be Memorial Day. Now it's just a Memorial Daze.