Memorial Day, 2014
26/05/14 05:38
Memory is a powerful force in human lives. Many of our meanings come from the ways in which we process our memories. A day set aside for memories seems an appropriate response to some of the world’s great tragedies. Memorial Day has its roots in a devastating period of our nation’s history. More than 750,000 Americans lost their lives in the Civil War. That was more than 2 percent of the total population of our country. The nation was deeply divided. If we think that politics are polarized in our time, we need only to remember our history to understand that the effects of polarized politics can be devastating - and also to remember that our democracy has the resilience to endure great struggles and disagreements.
The period of history leading up to the Civil War has some elements that are similar to our time: sharp regional differences over the power of the federal government; advocates of slavery relied on “constitutional” claims to justify the continuation of the practice; the refusal of pro-slavery forces to accept the outcome of the 1860 elections; fierce disagreements over the definition of important concepts such as “morality,” “patriotism” and “freedom.” People argued over what the Founders really intended and over the authority of the Supreme Court. Many church organizations couldn’t stand the strain. Divisions within churches over the issue of slavery gave rise to new denominations and divergent claims as to what the Bible teaches.
It is good to be reminded of our history. It is good to remember. Even the history of Memorial Day is filled with disagreement. The process of decorating graves and publicly grieving the loss of war dead arose spontaneously in many locations after the Civil War, but it wasn’t until after World War I that Memorial Day was established as a holiday for the entire country. Even after we agreed on a shared date, we couldn’t agree on where the tradition started. Students of the holiday believe that General John A. Logan, commander in chief for the GAR and Republican vice presidential nominee in 1884, set May 30 as the date because flowers would be in bloom throughout the country.
In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, N.Y. as the official birthplace of the holiday, but that didn’t settle the arguments.
Somehow, however, through all of the conflict and disagreement, our nation has found a way to come together. The simple fact that we share in the recognition of Memorial Day in all of our states is a sign of a basic unity that underlies the divisions that endure.
Memorial Day may be the most important of our patriotic holidays. Whereas July 4 is a reminder of the Declaration of Independence and a call to celebrate and protect freedom, Memorial Day is a reminder that politics have dire consequences. Real people die. Real families are left bereft. Distorting history and political realities can have deadly consequences. A true patriot never forgets the cost of political decisions.
Since 2001, I and many others in our country have carried a heightened awareness of the deep costs of war. Suicide rates among war veterans have reached alarming levels. We are currently losing 22 military veterans each day to suicide. What we once called the “invisible injuries” of war are now too great to ignore. A massive Army study focusing on records from nearly a million soldiers discovered some alarming realities: About one in four soldiers int he Army suffer from at least one psychiatric disorder and one in 10 have multiple disorders.
It is important to realize that not all mental disorders lead to suicide. But it is equally important to recognize that mental illness is as real an injury suffered by some who go to war as is the loss of a limb. The war is not over for the soldier who comes home.
Each Memorial Day weekend for more than a decade now, the TAPS program has held a national conference for the families of fallen soldiers. TAPS stands for Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. The TAPS program has specific resources to educate the families of soldiers who have died by suicide. Most of the TAPS managers and volunteers are themselves victims of suicide, having lost a family member to death by suicide. The weekend conference is an opportunity for families to come together for mutual support and healing.
It also may be one of the most important gatherings in our country for the prevention of future suicides. Their educational programs have enabled military leaders and others in our country to recognize the serious nature of mental injuries and recognize the warning signs of suicide. Not every death is preventable, but appropriate intervention and treatment can save lives. We wouldn’t ever deny the best medical treatment available for those who have received physical injuries in war. We must extend equally compassionate treatment to those who suffer mental illness as a direct result of their wartime experiences.
Providing such care is a basic responsibility of every citizen. As a nation, we rely on a very small percentage of our fellow citizens to assume the risks of combat. Since 2001, we have leaned extremely heavily upon these fellow citizens, with repeated deployments to war and often inadequate opportunities for recovery between deployments. We have fostered a culture that encourages the hiding of psychological injuries and illnesses.
A holiday to remember the high cost of our way of life seems essential. But it will take more than tears shed at gravesides to provide the healing that our nation needs. Just as we rely upon a military of volunteers, we need teams of dedicated and trained volunteers to assist those who are returning from war and support their families. The TAPS program is an excellent example of how people can reach out to others with strength and healing and provide education and information that can make a big difference.
Memorial Day stands as a reminder of the immense cost of war. For those who are caught up in war, the war is never completely over. They deserve our unending commitment to their care. We owe nothing less to those who have died.
The period of history leading up to the Civil War has some elements that are similar to our time: sharp regional differences over the power of the federal government; advocates of slavery relied on “constitutional” claims to justify the continuation of the practice; the refusal of pro-slavery forces to accept the outcome of the 1860 elections; fierce disagreements over the definition of important concepts such as “morality,” “patriotism” and “freedom.” People argued over what the Founders really intended and over the authority of the Supreme Court. Many church organizations couldn’t stand the strain. Divisions within churches over the issue of slavery gave rise to new denominations and divergent claims as to what the Bible teaches.
It is good to be reminded of our history. It is good to remember. Even the history of Memorial Day is filled with disagreement. The process of decorating graves and publicly grieving the loss of war dead arose spontaneously in many locations after the Civil War, but it wasn’t until after World War I that Memorial Day was established as a holiday for the entire country. Even after we agreed on a shared date, we couldn’t agree on where the tradition started. Students of the holiday believe that General John A. Logan, commander in chief for the GAR and Republican vice presidential nominee in 1884, set May 30 as the date because flowers would be in bloom throughout the country.
In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, N.Y. as the official birthplace of the holiday, but that didn’t settle the arguments.
Somehow, however, through all of the conflict and disagreement, our nation has found a way to come together. The simple fact that we share in the recognition of Memorial Day in all of our states is a sign of a basic unity that underlies the divisions that endure.
Memorial Day may be the most important of our patriotic holidays. Whereas July 4 is a reminder of the Declaration of Independence and a call to celebrate and protect freedom, Memorial Day is a reminder that politics have dire consequences. Real people die. Real families are left bereft. Distorting history and political realities can have deadly consequences. A true patriot never forgets the cost of political decisions.
Since 2001, I and many others in our country have carried a heightened awareness of the deep costs of war. Suicide rates among war veterans have reached alarming levels. We are currently losing 22 military veterans each day to suicide. What we once called the “invisible injuries” of war are now too great to ignore. A massive Army study focusing on records from nearly a million soldiers discovered some alarming realities: About one in four soldiers int he Army suffer from at least one psychiatric disorder and one in 10 have multiple disorders.
It is important to realize that not all mental disorders lead to suicide. But it is equally important to recognize that mental illness is as real an injury suffered by some who go to war as is the loss of a limb. The war is not over for the soldier who comes home.
Each Memorial Day weekend for more than a decade now, the TAPS program has held a national conference for the families of fallen soldiers. TAPS stands for Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. The TAPS program has specific resources to educate the families of soldiers who have died by suicide. Most of the TAPS managers and volunteers are themselves victims of suicide, having lost a family member to death by suicide. The weekend conference is an opportunity for families to come together for mutual support and healing.
It also may be one of the most important gatherings in our country for the prevention of future suicides. Their educational programs have enabled military leaders and others in our country to recognize the serious nature of mental injuries and recognize the warning signs of suicide. Not every death is preventable, but appropriate intervention and treatment can save lives. We wouldn’t ever deny the best medical treatment available for those who have received physical injuries in war. We must extend equally compassionate treatment to those who suffer mental illness as a direct result of their wartime experiences.
Providing such care is a basic responsibility of every citizen. As a nation, we rely on a very small percentage of our fellow citizens to assume the risks of combat. Since 2001, we have leaned extremely heavily upon these fellow citizens, with repeated deployments to war and often inadequate opportunities for recovery between deployments. We have fostered a culture that encourages the hiding of psychological injuries and illnesses.
A holiday to remember the high cost of our way of life seems essential. But it will take more than tears shed at gravesides to provide the healing that our nation needs. Just as we rely upon a military of volunteers, we need teams of dedicated and trained volunteers to assist those who are returning from war and support their families. The TAPS program is an excellent example of how people can reach out to others with strength and healing and provide education and information that can make a big difference.
Memorial Day stands as a reminder of the immense cost of war. For those who are caught up in war, the war is never completely over. They deserve our unending commitment to their care. We owe nothing less to those who have died.