This is the sight here in Darby at South Valley Veterans memorial; Our great flag flying at half-mast. It’s not that it’s flying at half-mast because it’s Veterans Day. It’s been flying like this for the last few days, since the tragedy in Uvalde Texas, where a crazed eighteen-year-old gunman ended the life of nineteen elementary school children and two teachers.
The flag flying half-mast at this veteran memorial is not to diminish the ultimate sacrifice our armed forces men and women have given. Their duty to country should always be remembered. If not for them, we likely would not have the freedoms we have compared to other countries.
From usmemorialday.org
“Memorial Day was borne out of the Civil War (which ended in 1865) and a desire to honor our dead. On the 5th of May in 1868, General John Logan who was the national commander of the Grand Army of the republic, officially proclaimed it in his General Order No. 11.
Part of the history of Memorial Day will show that in the Order, the General proclaimed, “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land.” Because the day wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle, the General called it, The date of Decoration Day.”
While others may look to this three-day weekend as the unofficial start of summer and an excuse to take a small vacation, celebrate and drink excessively, I’ll take a moment of silence to recognize all those who have lost their lives in the line of duty. Additionally, I’ll pray for the friends and families of the victims in Uvalde Texas. Lest not we forget it can happen to anyone of us.
