In some of the worst times in our history, the struggle for equality, civility and respect for marginalized Americans was waged under banners of many colors. Upraised Black fists, knitted beanies of strawberry pink, and flags in rainbow hues. Those who opposed them chose cryptic words and symbols in a multitude of hues, blazing yellow backdrops with coiled snakes and white robes obscuring shameful bigotry.
Many of the greatest victories took place under horizontal stripes of red and white and fields of star-spangled blue. They drew much of their strength from the heartbreaking grief of families displaying flags of white, centered with one golden star.
Even before our nation’s military was fully integrated, many in uniform came back with the realization that they had far more in common with their fallen comrades than they knew before they went to war. On the grounds of our national cemeteries, the neat rows of graves are differentiated only by symbols of faith, offering a silent lesson: If Americans slain in battle rest side by side, in equal honor and serenity, why should we be satisfied with anything less for the living?
Honoring sacrifice
Some may argue against this view of Memorial Day. Many have been disheartened as they watched a once-solemn occasion trivialized by holiday sales or just another extra day off. For others, it has become an extension of Veterans’ Day, a way to honor all military service or revel in shared and uncomplicated sentiments of patriotism.
But the true meaning of Memorial Day stems from something more tragic and to many, more ennobling. It is a time to reflect on war and warriors in one very specific context: The lives lost in service to this country, and the causes that give meaning to their sacrifice.
It is possible for us to honor these fallen warriors without also granting virtue to the conflicts that claimed their lives. Over this nation’s history, many soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen who died in combat were following orders they had no say in, for conflicts that bore no personal relevance to their lives before they went off to war. Some were drafted with no way to escape service.
That does not diminish their terror or their valor. They deserve to be remembered and to have their lives celebrated. We believe they also deserve a share of the credit for the ways our society has advanced toward peace — not just on the battlefield, but in their cities, towns and neighborhoods, left behind to grieve their loss.
A spirit of acceptance
Ask many American veterans — particularly those who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam — and they will tell you that before they went to war, they had never really interacted with people of different ethnicities or faiths. But after several weeks or months, they came to realize that the pain of every casualty hit with equal force. As barriers dropped for women and people of divergent sexualities, the same spirit of acceptance took root and flowered among those serving in conflicts in the Middle East.
The results aren’t perfect: The military still fights against racism, sexism and homophobia. But with every step toward greater equality, American service members have responded with far more grace and acceptance than naysayers predicted — born in large part from a realization that when an enemy attacks, the person beside them wearing the same uniform might be the very last person they see, or the person who takes the bullet intended for them. When their service is through, many take those attitudes into civilian life.
To overlook this connection means stripping fallen Americans of credit for the fruits of their valor. They deserve better, and Memorial Day is the most fitting occasion to remember that.
The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Editorial Page Editor Steve Bousquet, Deputy Editorial Page Editor Dan Sweeney, and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson. Editorials are the opinion of the Board and written by one of its members or a designee. To contact us, email at .
