Memorial Day

[lillibet]

Today at church the sermon was given by a member of our congregation, Lori Kenschaft. I could have written her opening words myself, about the ambivalence she has always felt about Memorial Day--on the one hand a glorification of war, on the other hand nothing more than the start of summer--but she went on to discuss how she has reclaimed it for

Comments

[minkrose]

This is a very interesting perspective shift, thank you for posting it. It also reminded me of this quote from Clinton:

"There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America."
http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/32152.html

That is always the quote that comes to mind when I consider my personal patriotism.

[jason237]

More information about the history: http://www.davidwblight.com/memorial.htm

[muffyjo]

Thank you for the link, I just pointed my mother at it.

[medyani]

Hi E., it's Lee. Good to see you at Jo's party yesterday. Let's do that getting together thing sometime soonish. :)

[muffyjo]

The first person I saw after the service was esclaremonde who I was trying to explain this to because it was so moving and was so fresh in my brain! You have done a much better job here. I'll have to point her in this direction (I don't think she's online much).

It really was very moving and quite complex for me. I knew about the beginning being in Charleston, SC but so little of the rest of the details she shared. Being part southerner it's always a bit hard to feel good about the north winning the civil war, but it's wonderful to celebrate the end of slavery. And I agree, we need a way to celebrate that which all Americans can embrace!

[lillibet]

That must have been an interesting conversation