Memorial Day

**Skip Kelley** · May-30-2005, 6:30am

Happy Memorial Day to everyone! I hope you enjoy the day with your family. Remember our military, to those who have served to give us our freedom and to those serving today to keep it that way.
I salute all the wonderful men and women of our great nation that make life so wonderful and free!

**bjc** · May-30-2005, 7:10am

Let's not forget the ones who have died and will die for us. They have made (will maske) the ultimate sacrifice so that we may continue to make this country into some special.
You may not put them in your prayers everyday, but please remember to do so today. God Bless all the fine folks in the Military.
Thanks Skip for starting this reminder.

**batman** · May-30-2005, 8:20am

Great post Skip. Let's not forget that no matter what side of the political fence we sit, that our troops are the ones that enable us to voice our oppinions freely. I'd like to say a big thanks to the mom's and dad's who have kids in the service. Don Batten

**swampstomper** · May-30-2005, 8:45am

Is this a USA-only forum?

**Links** · May-30-2005, 8:59am

Thanks Skip for starting this thread!

Indeed we all owe a tremendous debt of gratitude for those brave servicemen and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country. All of my ancestors have fought for this country starting with my great, great, great, etc. grandfather who fought at the Battle of Kings Mountain during the American Revolution continuing through my brother and I who fought in Viert Nam with the Marines. Fortunately none have died in battle.

Please keep all of our Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen in your prayers!

**John Flynn** · May-30-2005, 9:01am

Originally Posted by

Is this a USA-only forum?

No, but it's a USA-centric forum, with mostly members from the USA.

**bjc** · May-30-2005, 9:13am

Is Memorial Day an International holiday?

**Keith Erickson** · May-30-2005, 9:15am

Originally Posted by (swampstomper @ May 30 2005, 09:45)

Is this a USA-only forum?

Knowing how I'm very opinionated I can be, can y'all guess what my reply would have been?

Anyway folks, no matter where you are in the world, no matter what nationality you are, just give your men and women in uniform the "Thanks" they deserve.

If it wasn't for them, we probably wouldn't be able to meet freely here at the Mandolin Cafe.

Now fire up those Grills and Break out those Mandolins

**John Flynn** · May-30-2005, 9:26am

Originally Posted by

Is Memorial Day an International holiday?

Not officially. It was started as "Decoration Day" in the 1860's to commemorate the Civil War dead, both in the North and the South. However, the day was celebrated in France in the 1920's to commemorate all the foriegn soldiers who died in WWI and currently there are celebrations in many European countries and Korea, even though it is not an official holiday there.

**swampstomper** · May-30-2005, 9:51am

I am very happy to honour those who defended our freedoms (my father spent three years of his life fighting the Japanese) but this should not be an opportunity to say "my country, right or wrong". Lots of soldiers (American and others) have been sacrificed by their "leaders" supposedly for "our freedoms" when all they were really doing was perpetuating empire, exploitation, or just foolish adventure. The better day is November 11 as celebrated in Europe (Armistace Day) -- this specifically remembers the sheer madness that lead to the slaughter of WWI.

"Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel".

**ShaneJ** · May-30-2005, 10:05am

There are many nations around the world that are free today - and citizens of those nations that are alive today - because of the sacrifice of American Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, and Sailors. Maybe it's an opportunity for them to remember as well. God bless you all.

**bjc** · May-30-2005, 10:22am

I am afraid that the thread got off topic once politics entered into the discussion...say prayers for all the folks who need it...

**Scott Tichenor** · May-30-2005, 10:33am

This topic is not mandolin related and is moving from what would have been tolerated and is now headed into a political discussion. On a day in this country (US) meant to honor family and friends, it's best that be done individually or with your families, which I plan to do myself today, and not on a mandolin message board. Military experience and death is very near and dear to my family. Having it become a topic of contentious debate between people around the world--yes, this is a global board--makes me sad. Should come as no suprrise that the first thread that gets shut down in a couple of weeks happens to be one that should never have appeared here in the first place.