Memorial Day

Too many people celebrate Memorial Day as the beginning of summer rather than a day of solemn observance.

When Congress changed Memorial Day from May 30 to the "last Monday in May" so that federal and state employees could enjoy another long weekend, the special meaning of the observance was lost on many.

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, was first observed on May 30, 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers in Arlington National Cemetery. Since the 1950s, the 1,200 soldiers of the 3rd U.S. Infantry have been placing small American flags on the graves of all 260,000 gravestones in the cemetery the Thursday before Memorial Day, and then patrol for 24 hours a day to make sure the flags remain standing. In other locations across the country, Boy and Girl Scout organizations place flags on hundreds of thousands of soldiers' graves.

While some communities will let the day go by with no observance whatsoever, we are glad that won't happen here. For a number of years, Waynesboro American Legion Post 120 has been placing small crosses bearing the names of fallen veterans on the main thoroughfare in the city. They serve as a visible reminder of the price that has been paid not only for our freedom, but for the freedom of many nations around the world.

As we have said in the past, you don't have to agree with the politics of war to understand and appreciate the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform.

If you cannot attend a Memorial Day observance like the one at the Burke County Court House on Monday, at least take a few minutes to remember the price that has been paid to protect our freedoms and values.