One man’s opinion: The incredibly high price of freedom

Millions of Americans just spent a relaxing weekend welcoming summer wrapping up the school year and graduation ceremonies and heading out on long weekend mini-trips and even staycations firing up the barbecue opening up their society pool or absolutely tossing back a insufficient with family and friends But this extended holiday weekend also contains one of our nation s preponderance sacred and somber remembrances and that should never be forgotten Memorial Day is much more than just a hangover Monday following the first long weekend of summer It s the official day of recognition pause and reflection as well as for saluting the sacrifice and memory of those who paid the ultimate price for our a large number of freedoms as Americans Our nation s first Memorial Day was April when Confederate war widows organized remembrance ceremonies in Columbus Georgia and Columbus Mississippi The two southern towns still wrestle with whose commemoration came first but whichever way you slice it it was the losing side during America s Civil War which began the practice of giving thanks pause and remembrance for those lives lost during what was then and still remains America s bloodiest conflict and the largest loss of life Our Union side would later begin a national day of remembrance called Decoration Day It would not be until that Congress would officially move Memorial Day along with four other national holidays from their traditional dates of observance to four calendar-fixed Mondays Memorial Day opens up summer on the last Monday in May Armed Forces Week begins the second Saturday in May and Armed Forces Day is officially the third Saturday celebrating all current duty personnel in the Army Navy Air Force Marines Coast Guard Space Force and related special forces May is also officially Military Appreciation Month Yet somewhere in the shuffle several of these patriotic and sacred remembrance holidays have lost their reason for being They have become somewhat blended in with other occasions and holidays like Halloween Cinco de Mayo or Valentine s Day Memorial Day weekends have become better known for barbecues and brews than moments of remembrance and reflection Congress passed the National Remembrance Act in asking all Americans to pause and reflect at p m on Memorial Day this year on May The federal statute also calls for flying all flags at half-mast from dawn until after p m then returning all flags to full staff Along with a silent salute this seems a very small price to pay in recognition of the a large number of who along with their families paid the ultimate price Also consider with your children or grandchildren or perhaps friends and family visiting a Veteran s Memorial or cemetery to underscore the importance and high price paid for our plenty of freedoms Here in Georgia there are multiple parks and monuments dedicated to Veterans as well as Veteran Cemeteries with perhaps none being more visually impactful than the Andersonville National Historic Site in southwest Georgia There primarily Union Prisoners of War died while in captivity during the Civil War at what was then called Fort Sumter Thousands of small nameless crosses blanket the landscape with graves covering much of the -acre park and monument where more than Union soldiers were held captive during the Civil War Modern war era veterans continue to be buried there with honors as well So enjoy this long holiday weekend with your friends and family and related travels but please also give a somber moment of pause for this cause of recognition and remembrance whether with a silent salute attending a Memorial utility visiting a monument or cemetery or sitting down to view a movie or documentary paying homage to those who previously gave their all It s the least we can do for those who gave so much for the liberty and freedoms enjoyed by all the rest of us The post One man s opinion The incredibly high price of freedom appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta