Veterans on the March
"Memorial Day β a day originating in 1868 (Decoration Day), on which the gravesites of the Civil War dead were decorated with flowers β has morphed into a day that conflates the memorialization of killed soldiers with the glorification of war. The perennial flag-waving, ultra-nationalist speeches, garish street parades and hyper-consumerism of Memorial Day do not honor these soldiers. What might, however, is working to prevent future war and nurture peace β honoring their memory by not sending more men and women into harmβs way and to kill and maim in wars based on lies. To have any chance at being effective, however, this work must include efforts aimed at increasing public awareness about the many causes and costs of war."