Reflections on Memorial Day

With the approach of the Memorial Day holiday, many are turning their thoughts to the summer. The longer days and warmer nights open up a host of activities that we're typically precluded from enjoying during the winter months in colder climates. These range from day trips to the beach, to rambling evening strolls, to long-neglected yard work, to rigorous sports activities, to various parties and festivals…and even to just lounging around in casual conversation on the front porch (or front stoop, for those of us who grew up in Queens).

But of course, Memorial Day means so much more than that.

The origin of Memorial Day in the US is actually a bit controversial. While some argue that it started as remembrance day ceremonies during the Revolution, most trace the formal beginnings of what we now know as Memorial Day to the post-Civil War period. Regardless of when it began, Memorial Day is now a nationally recognized holiday that honors all those who have given their lives defending our country. According to estimates from the Department of Defense, 1,196,656 military servicemen and servicewomen have died fighting our country's wars over a period spanning the American Revolution through to today's Global War on Terror.

These are, of course, only estimates and therefore likely undercount the number who were actually lost in combat. What's more, these totals don't include those who died many years removed from the battlefield as a result of the wounds, illnesses, and traumas sustained during their active service. Yet I believe that those lives must be added to the tally as well if our nation is to have a true accounting of the sacrifices made in service to our freedoms.

While that toll may seem staggering at first, let's keep in mind that 550 million souls have called the United States home since the founding of this Republic. This means that we owe our liberty, our safety, and our prosperity to the ultimate sacrifice borne by just 0.22% of our fellow countrymen. So each year on this weekend, I try to go to Long Island National Cemetery in Pinelawn, New York in order to pay my respects and to reflect upon what they sacrificed on our behalf.

But it's not just about what they were willing to sacrifice that awes me; it's also why they were willing to sacrifice.

When we look around today, we see a nation that appears deeply divided. But that's nothing new. From the very moment of conception, this country has been locked in conflict and disagreement. Most have forgotten that nearly 40% of the original colonial population were considered "loyalists" who opposed independence from Great Britain. The Civil War almost tore the country apart as we endured our moment of reckoning over the original sin of slavery. The Vietnam War sparked a culture clash that continues to rage to this very day.

But the ability to disagree—sometimes heatedly—is one of the great strengths of a pluralistic society and a functioning democracy. So to focus solely upon the burdens of what divides us is to completely miss the blessings of what unites us. The United States was founded upon a collection of principles and has been guided ever since by a set of ideals. These include the notion that all political power emanates from the people; the belief that every individual was created equal; and the insistence that everyone is free to express their opinions and preferences without consent. These principles and ideals not only represent the standard by which every form of governance the world over is now measured, but also serve to sanctify the ultimate sacrifice made by 1,196,656 of our countrymen.

So that is both the "what" and the "why" that I will reflect upon this Memorial Day.

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