Decoration Day was a regional state holiday, which began in 1868. It had a counterpart in the South, Confederate Memorial Day, which began in 1866.
Memorial Day, the national holiday, was declared as such in 1971. It is the successor to both regional holidays.
The law you keep citing, from 2000, establishes a “moment of remembrance” to be observed at 3 pm each Memorial Day.
Their opinion is duly noted. The line about “encourage citizens to dedicate themselves to the values and principles for which those heroes of the United States died” rules out honoring many American war dead, since some died for some pretty reprehensible values and principles.
Sure, but it’s a distinct law, made much later than the creation of Memorial Day. At most, it’s the 2000 Congress’ opinion on what the day ought to mean, not what it was created to mean or means to individual Americans.
Is this a “yes” or a “no” to the question I asked? In case you can’t remember it, here it is again:
Regardless, it’s clear that they think it is for honoring people in service with the armed forces of the United States and not those who fought for a service actually at war against the United States.
It’s a no. Decoration Day was a predecessor, but they are different things. It’s not just a case of renaming the holiday, it’s a different holiday.
36 U.S.C. § 116 did not create Memorial Day. It was only enacted in 1998.
So noted. I disagree with them.
It dates from Public Law 90-363 at the latest, which was passed in 1968 and went into effect in 1971. I’m no wizard with statutes, is there anything earlier at the federal level?
I’m saying §116 was only enacted in 1998, not the holiday itself. There’s a resolution from 1966 referenced in an EO but I can’t find it.
I (and the United States federal government) disagree with you.
You do know that Memorial Day, as a nomenclature, existed before 1971, don’t you? :dubious:
Per the VA cite above, let us note the spirit of rapprochement that marked the first Memorial Day, in 1866:
I stand corrected, then. So, it seems 1968/71 is the creation date?
Also noted.
Yes, but that’s not what we’re talking about, here. We’re talking about what celebrations / honors should accompany the modern, national version of the holiday.
If your state also celebrates its own Decoration Day, or Confederate Memorial Day, or what have you, that’s a different matter.
I’m okay with Memorial Day being used for honoring the advocates of two differing principles:
The selling of furniture/major appliances and the selling of automobiles.
How about now?
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Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, is to honor people who died in service to the United States of America.
You are, and have been, wrong.
So, we have two flower-laying celebrations in spring of 1866, one in Waterloo, New York on May 5, the other in Columbus, Mississippi on April 25. Both led to regional holidays, and later to a federal oneo.
Why, again, does this disqualify the Confederate dead from honor?
That’s the “prayer for permanent peace” meaning that was previously cited and discussed. What of it?
They are different things, for the umpteenth time.
Tell you what, if your state still has a Decoration Day holiday on the books, I invite you to celebrate it as the Union-only, regional holiday that it was.
If your state has a Confederate Memorial Day on the books, same invite.
You really just don’t get this, do you?
They were not fighting for America. They did not bear our colors or fight for the Constitution of the United States.
Your assertion that Memorial Day was created as a day for prayer is refuted by the very words of the proclamation you keep trying to quote, as it’s clear from the text of the proclamation that Memorial Day was already in existence and Congress (and the POTUS) were simply calling for that day to also be a day of prayer for peace.