On Memorial Day, do we honor the confederate soldiers?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(burritos @ May 29 2006, 04:57 PM) [snapback]262442[/snapback]</div>

Get a grip burito breath, we honor all people who have given their life for there belief. Just because you don’t believe in it makes no difference. :angry:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(burritos @ May 29 2006, 05:17 PM) [snapback]262451[/snapback]</div>

Define soldier?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(burritos @ May 29 2006, 05:40 PM) [snapback]262457[/snapback]</div>

a skilled warrior
a militant leader, follower, or worker


Yes, I honor all of these and more.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(burritos @ May 29 2006, 02:17 PM) [snapback]262451[/snapback]</div>

Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.
Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.
http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html

A tiny bit of research would help. It IS about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all. . . . unless you have an alternative motive . . .burritos. :huh:

Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those fallen in service to our country while members of the US armed forces.

And no . . .
It's not about honoring those who serve in the US military today. That is what Armed Forces Day is for.
It is not about honoring former members of the US military, dead or alive – even if they were wounded. That is what Veterans' Day is for.

And NO, it is not to recognize peace activists, peace corp members, civilians, politicians, or animals who gave their lives, etc. :angry:

 

Are you aware that this message tacitly implies support for slavery idealogy?

Back to topic... I think you can certainly honor them without support of the whole ideaology.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(grasshopper @ May 29 2006, 05:09 PM) [snapback]262447[/snapback]</div>

 

It seems kind of a irrelevent question... I mean they obviously did not AT THE TIME... but seeing what memorial day is about... I am not sure the question should be answered, if you get what I mean?

Speaking of confederates... I was watching Faux News (for entertainment value)... I was listening to them talk about the immigration issue... the Fox show Fox and Friends... someone in the audience commented that the protesters were anti-patriotic because some of them carried non American flags... and that got me thinking... why don't they say the same for those who wave the Confederate flag around? For all the cars with rebel flags on them, none of them ever have US flags.

 

Absolutely we honor the Confederate soldiers with all of our others (just like we honor the soldiers of the Vietnam War). And there were soldiers on both sides, Union and Confederacy, who believed in slavery and soldiers on both sides who believed in the abolishment thereof. Indeed, there were even some instances of Black soldiers fighting on the side of the Confederacy (which seems strange today, but after all we have some gay Republicans out there today, and that is mighty strange too). In the American Civil War, some soldiers fought for a political cause, but most simply fought because they thought they were protecting their homeland, or in the case of those very many others who were drafted against their will, their own necks. No war is noble (not even World War II); every war is a tragedy.

 

Absolutely, we honor them. We all are Americans, what ever our political differences. I had political differences with the administrations of the Vietnam War. It was my right as an American to make a political statement then and now. I lost friends in that war and I honor them. We Americans need to separate political differences with one's pride of country and patriotism, they are not the same. Love me and my opinions or leave, has no place in America. I am proud of my time in the streets in the 60-70 and I am proud of those who went and served. The Constitution separates the civilian political government from the military, and so should the rest of us. The Civil War was a terrible thing, but it resolved the biggest compromise made to create this country. It was a mistake and doomed at the time the compromise was made and almost 100 years later we resolved it, at great cost, still being paid today. I think that the resolution of that compromise will slowly bring all of us to where we need to be, and one of our founding principles. "All men are created equal". Let us honor the Confederate dead as we honor all Americans lost in War.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(burritos @ May 29 2006, 02:17 PM) [snapback]262451[/snapback]</div>

Not all Confederates were fighting for slavery. Many were fighting for the "idea" of the South, they were fighting for autonomy. As with today's soldiers they were fighting because they had been told to do so. They believed they were fighting for the right beliefs.

My family lost 2 of the 3 sons they sent to the Union Army. Many from the South lost their whole families. A life given for a cause is precious and it should be honored whether you agree with the cause or not. My heart bleeds for the young men dying today in Iraq even though I do not approve of the war there. Watch HBO's Baghdad ER for a real taste of the war, all those kids need our support no matter what side you are on.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mirza @ May 29 2006, 06:18 PM) [snapback]262467[/snapback]</div>

You act as if we don't condone slavery every day. How much do you pay for you shirts at Wal-Mart.?
Nothing has changed; we just find ways to justify what we want to believe. h34r:

 

I agree with those who say that Memorial Day is a day of rememberance for those who made this country what it is today. This includes my ancestors that fought in the Revolution, the War of 1812, The Civil War (a great, great, great, greatgrandfather fought for the Confederacy, his son my 3rd great grandfather fought for the Union--both were from Missouri), World War I and World War II. I have dear friends that their parents fought in Vietnam and extended family members who lost loved ones there. I also lost a dear family friend 3 days before Christmas 2005 in Iraq. He was a West Point Grad and died trying to protect the soldiers he supervised and fought with. We may not agree with the reasons these wars, conflicts, police actions occurred, but the one thing is that we must support those who took up arms to protect the liberties that we hold dear and sometimes forget about.

Without those liberties, Daniel would not be able to champion those causes he holds dearly, nor would I be able to do the same. It doesn't matter what the reason or the cause, but the fact that these people put their lives on the line to serve our country earns my respect and rememberance no matter what. I don't know about others, but my family also uses this weekend to remember our family members who have passed regardless if they served in the military. It just reminds us that we wouldn't be who we are if not for the ones that came before us.

PS...I think my avatar says it all...Stand up for the Red, White & Blue.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ May 29 2006, 05:00 PM) [snapback]262464[/snapback]</div>

I'm going to agree with Sufferin' Prius Envy on this one. I know, rare occurence, but true I was stationed in South Carolina from 2000-2004 and the South, in general, does not celebrate Memorial Day with gusto since they (at least SC) view it as a Yankee holiday. Virginia celebrates Confederate Memorial Day on the regular Memorial Day.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(s.e.tx_parrothead @ May 29 2006, 07:25 PM) [snapback]262572[/snapback]</div>

Good for you. I too have ancestors in the revolution, War of 1812, Civil War, Spanish American War, WW1 and 2, Korea. I despair that some how we have lost the ability to talk to one another, see their view point, and make the great compromises that are the foundation of our Democracy. I would like to see the US House and Senate start by building yet another "Great Compromise" on the subject of Immigration. I am one or two (depending on how one counts) away from being an immigrant. My father born here moved away as an infant and returned as a 7 year old, through Ellis Island. We are a land of immigrants. That includes all of us if we go back far enough. Let us find a way to talk and reason with one another on the one issue that truly unites us as Americans. I would hope that will be a new start to our representatives creating real legislation for all of us. OK it is a holiday and we are supposed to consider these things on a day like today. Remember the past and look to the future.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mirza @ May 29 2006, 05:29 PM) [snapback]262473[/snapback]</div>

Again, since I've lived in SC for so many years, I could NEVER understand the flying of the Confederate Flag, the battle flag. Southerners say it's for their Southern Heritage. Well, do they know that the Confederate Flag, as they know it, is the battle flag? The REAL Confederate Flag looks much different. In fact, it looks very much like the American Flag. It's called the stars and bars. That is why Confederate commanders changed the design because in battle, the two flags looked very simliar and they couldn't tell it apart.

So, if they are flying the flag for Southern Heritage, then fly the original flag. Not the battle flag. I don't agree with it at all but they have that right. In Germany, you CAN'T fly the Nazi flag or show the swastika. We don't have that law here. But fly the right flag if you must. The Confederate battle flag is too inflammatory.


[attachmentid=3638]

The original Confederate Flag, the stars and bars