What does Memorial Day really mean? In a special Memorial Day podcast, The Heritage Foundation’s vice president of American Studies, Dr. Matthew Spalding, discusses the historical roots of this day. And below, we share with you a Q&A with Dr. Spalding in which he discusses that history, how Memorial Day came to be, and what it means for America When did Memorial Day become an official holiday? Spalding: There’s actually an interesting history to Memorial Day. On the one hand, there’s nothing unusual about countries historically having a day to …
In honor of those who lost their lives while serving our country, we would like to share with you President Ronald Reagan’s 1986 Memorial Day remarks at Arlington National Cemetery: Today is the day we put aside to remember fallen heroes and to pray that no heroes will ever have to die for us again. It’s a day of thanks for the valor of others, a day to remember the splendor of America and those of her children who rest in this cemetery and others. It’s a day to be …
Today we celebrate Memorial Day, and in a special Heritage in Focus podcast, The Heritage Foundation’s vice president of American Studies, Matt Spalding, fills us in on the history and importance of this day. “If you want to get a sense of what Memorial Day is, the great poet is Lincoln,” Spalding says. “Lincoln was able to connect the death of soldiers to what America means.” As we honor our soldiers, it’s important to recall the timeless principles that have enabled us to enjoy our freedoms and flourish as a …
In honor of those who lost their lives while serving our country, we would like to share with you President Ronald Reagan’s 1986 Memorial Day remarks at Arlington National Cemetery: Today is the day we put aside to remember fallen heroes and to pray that no heroes will ever have to die for us again. It’s a day of thanks for the valor of others, a day to remember the splendor of America and those of her children who rest in this cemetery and others. It’s a day to be …
This weekend, President Obama will skip Memorial Day services at Arlington National Cemetery, and instead he will take his family to Chicago for rest and relaxation. The gesture has rankled many on the right and caused the left to swing into full ‘defend Obama’ mode. However, the fact remains that during a time of war, it is extraordinary that the Commander in Chief of our Armed Forces would choose not to be at Arlington on this solemn occasion. First, it must be said that the president is not skipping out …
As we have discussed before, President Obama’s fiscal year 2010 defense budget suffers from serious conceptual flaws concerning the nature of future warfare and the force structure the American military needs to fight and win. But there is another related issue that must merit the serious consideration of Congress as it prepares to make lasting decisions about the future: the stability and health of America’s defense industrial base. Since World War II, the United States has benefited from the skills of a robust defense manufacturing workforce. America’s Air Force and …
This Memorial Day, Heritage honors those who serve in the United States Armed Forces, their families, and all military retirees and veterans. From the battlefields of the Civil War–after which the first Memorial Day was observed–to the Forest of Argonne, the beaches of Normandy, the islands of the Pacific, the Chosin Reservoir, the jungles of Vietnam, the deserts of Iraq, the mountains of Afghanistan, and all the other fields, territories and theaters American soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen have fought bravely, we remember those fallen men and women …
Yesterday, the New York Times shamelessly politicized Memorial Day by publishing an editorial attacking President Bush and Sen. John McCain for not supporting Sen. Jim Webb’s (D-Va.) “Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act.” The New York Times is free to criticize the president as much as it wants (we sure do) but it’s editorial writers owe our men and women in uniform an honest debate on an issue that greatly affects their lives. And this editorial leaves out half of the GI Bill story. The paper completely fails to mention that …
Our friends at the Evergreen Freedom Foundation have produced an excellent video tribute to the men and women of the U.S. military who have sacrificed so much to preserve freedom in this country. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9hWrddLfPs[/youtube]
