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As with any Memorial Day in the midst of armed conflict, this year’s national holiday of remembrance takes on special meaning.
The nation is at war!
With troops in the hotspots of Iraq and Afghanistan, and a war on terrorism being waged around the globe, it is not uncommon to hear reports of American soldiers being killed in action. In Iraq, alone, in recent months, nearly 200 more names have been added to the long list of those who have died in service to the nation.
The concept of honoring America’s war dead is an important tradition, established in the aftermath of the Civil War. Yet, in the midst of general peace and tranquility on the home front, it is easy for the day to become little more than a time of recreation.
There is nothing wrong with that as long as the sacred nature of Memorial Day with its solemn purpose is not entirely overlooked. KSL believes it is good to reflect on the heavy price paid for freedom by good men and women from this nation’s earliest days.
And this year, it is especially sobering for Americans enjoying this national holiday to remember that thousands of soldiers remain in harm’s way. Most sobering is the likelihood some of them will be the subject of remembrance next Memorial Day.
