Darn it!  Another “if it’s Monday, we need a holiday” version.  I grew up in the days when “Decoration Day” was always the 30th of May.  Now, for our convenience, we’ve moved Memorial Day to be the last Monday in May.

Memorial/Decoration Day dates back to the Civil War times.  Then, the holiday was created to honor the Union military (they were almost all army, then) dead from the Civil War.  The Confederates celebrated on a different day (of course).  But, it was after my grandfather fought in “The Great War” (what World War I was called before we decided we needed another World War), long after the Rough Riders, that “Memorial Day” began to take sway- and, it wasn’t until 1967 when the name change became law.

The actual day of honor- 30 May- was chosen because it would not impinge upon the memory of any battle (up to that time).  And, the ‘decorations’?  That came about because many of the war dead being honored were German immigrants- and it was the practice of the Germans to decorate the graves of their dead.  (It’s kind of like how Jewish people place rocks on the headstones of their loved ones.   No one knows why we do that, either!) Hence, the first celebration of Decoration Day on 30 May 1868.

Almost always, our troops are called upon to defend what we used to call “The American Way”.   That was meant to connote a means to promote democracy, freedom, and equality.  Great concepts- but we breach those ideals far too frequently here in the States.

Even now, we’ve had events in Baltimore, St. Louis, Chicago, and San Francisco bring these differences to light.  We even have a President who spews hate and vitriol against the “other” almost hourly.  (I think that is how often he tweets.  To be honest, I don’t- and won’t- follow him.)

But, it’s not just Blacks, Hispanics, Muslims, Jews- it’s almost anyone (else) that folks like to blame for their problems.  It’s so much easier to hang the responsibility on “the other”.

We have new ways in America to blame the other.  The South declares, without an ounce of proof that such events occur, that they are stopping voter fraud.  By closing down precincts, restricting times to vote, requiring the poor and disadvantaged to travel miles (often at the expense of a paying job) to acquire state-approved photo ids.

There are many of us- ME, especially, that could never attain one of those sought voter ID cards.  Because my birth certificate is different from almost every other one ever issued in the US.  It’s a piece of yellow paper, with the  New York City logo atop, that “certifies” that I was born on or about 9 September.  Yup.  No parental ID.  No hospital ID.

Trust me.  It was a bitch to obtain my first passport.  And, I’ve made sure it’s always been up to date.  (OK.  Sometimes, it was to provide an escape valve if a certain moron were to become president.   I am still evaluating my options.)  But, consider folks from the rural South, or others who had home births, who didn’t name their children right away.  They get the same sort of certifications.  Which under the laws that are ravaging the South and the Rust Belt means those citizens are unable to cast their vote.

We are supposed to be an example for the world.  (Don’t get me started as to what we really are teaching the world now.).  But, the only antidote to these prejudices is education.

It’s way past time that we start.  Memorial Day would be a darned good day to do so- because so many of our wars have been related to religion and its prejudices.

And, what better way could we choose to honor our valiant fighters appropriately?  Thank you, our valiant ones, for your lives to promote freedom, democracy,  and equality.

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