It drives me crazy when people put flags on non-military graves...

[nini]

....on Memorial Day.


This may seem like not such a big deal to some, but God Dammit the intent of the holiday is to honor those who died for the country. At the cemetery my dad is buried they provide flags for the military dead at the entrance. Every moron that drives in there picks one up and puts them on the grave they are going to. Correct me if I'm wrong but how the hell could so many women of any age and men of odd ages be military dead.

Put the flag on the grave of non military people on the 4th of July if you want, but Memorial Day is for those who died for our country not just anyone that has died and is remembered.

Perhaps this is yet another example of how dumbed-down this nation has become and they don't even understand the history of the holiday.

/end rant

[dflprincess]

1. In the cemetary where my dad is buried

the local American Legion puts flags on the graves of all veterans, not just those who died while in service.

However, I agree with you that there should not be flags on non-vets graves.

[nini]

3. Yes, it seems all vets get flags.

which doesn't bother me as much as the other. I know the Boy Scouts go around and will put a flag on any grave that has a military emblem on the headstone.

[susanna]

2. Don't even get me started on dumbed-down...

I agree with the Memorial Day flags issue; I only grab them for my friends and family who have died in service.

But, just to further your rant, my husband and I were at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington a few years back on Memorial Day weekend. When the guard ceremony started, my husband and I removed our hats and stood in silent respect. The rest of the tourists? Left their hats on, snapped pictures, ran around, talked, and basically ignored the entire thing. Some people just don't GET it.

[nini]

4. Don't you know it's a show for THEM?

that's got to be what they think.. that it's a show of some kind for the tourists. Morans!

No, they don't get IT. Quiet respect at a time like that is beyond their little minds I guess.

[susanna]

5. Yeah, I know - it was something they saw on TV...

So they went to check it out, not knowing any of the etiquette that is expected or why it truly is so moving. It was like they had a checklist: "Arlington, Tomb of Unknown Soldier, check."

I swear, nini, I almost bit my tongue clean off from wanting to scream at them...it really was a horrible experience. I couldn't believe the disrespect, but what was worse is the ignorance of the people -- they didn't even know that they were being disrespectful. Very strange...

[nini]

8. That is the exact probelm. They don't even know they're stupid ....

People are so clueless these days. We were taught early on to be quiet and solemn at those types of things. If you can't then you shouldn't go.

sorry they ruined your experience there. My sister went a few months ago and she said it was overwhelming and she was surprised it touched her as much as it did. She must have been there when the idiots were elsewhere.

[susanna]

13. I'm glad she saw it in its true beauty...

I did as well, many, many years before. That is why it was so disturbing to see the change. Does that make sense? I did let it go at the time, but the OPs rant brought it back...for all the same reasons. Thank you very much for listening and understanding. I appreciate it. :-)

[blondeatlast]

24. Reminds me of the Pearl Harbor Memorial.

Here we were, standing above the burial site of hundreds, and people were taking pictures with huge smiles, their kids climbing on the anchor, etc.

Then I saw a man throw his ciggybutt in the water.

I almost screamed it disgusted me so.

[susanna]

25. I think my head would have exploded if I'd seen that.

I'm glad you're still here! :-)

[blondeatlast]

26. I did begin to sob, but I got hold of myself.

I wish I could purge the image from my memory bank, but no such luck.

[Ilsa]

6. My mom worked for peanuts during WWII

at a branch of the War Dept. She took a long bus ride every morning at an hour before I arise now to get my kids off to school, and she got home after dark most days. She also wrote letters to my dad in the Navy.

I might want to put a flag on her grave; I figure she's earned it. So there.

And my dad told me that a thousand WWII vets die every day now.

[nini]

7. I understand your sentiment BUT

that's what Veteran's day is for. I think many women who served the country such as your mom and my stepmom who worked at a base during WWII should not be forgotten on Veteran's day.


When my dad died in '98 there were other WWII vets there that did a military ceremony for him. I don't know who will do theirs with so many of them dying so quickly :cry:

[Ilsa]

9. I think there are alot of folks like my mom that greatly contributed

to the war effort, but they don't have an insignia on their grave. Maybe that is who many of these flags are for.

[nini]

12. Depending on the cemetery you can request she be put on a list

to have the flag placed on her grave if the boy scouts or similar do that.

My dad doesn't have an army thing on his headstone but he is on a list of some kind with the cemetery.

[Zomby Woof]

18. When you put a flag on your mother's grave

Do you STEAL IT from a vet's? That is what happened here.

Your "so there" is appallingly juvenile and unbecoming of what DU is supposed to be about.

[Ilsa]

21. Self-delete. Pointless.

[DemBones DemBones]

10. I agree: flags put on graves on Memorial Day should be for vets only.

I think the flags should be only for vets who died in combat, though the VFW and American Legion would have a fit over that idea.

But it is Memorial Day and it's intended to memorialize those who died for their country.

[rug]

11. In that case

I'm going to put a flag on a coalminer's grave.

[DemBones DemBones]

14. Sorry, Memorial Day is not for coalminers or cops or firefighters

killed in the line of duty. It's for remembering those who died in combat, in service to their country. I'm anti-war, but I respect those who serve with honor..

[Zomby Woof]

17. I am an extreme pacifist to a point

WW2 vets served with honor. The Pacific Theater vets fought the rapists of Nanking, the invaders of Manchuria... the European Theater vets fought German and Italian fascists and genocidal maniacs.

Anyone who misses the point of Nini's rant doesn't know the facts behind her story.

[Zomby Woof]

16. Nini's father fought Japanese fascists

The lack of respect you are showing is appalling and the opposite of liberal.

[Ilsa]

23. So did my dad.

His ship was part of the fleet at Iwo Jima. He was in other battles as well. His sacrifices affected our family for the next fifty years.

[dflprincess]

28. I don't have a problem with every vet getting a flag on Memorial Day

We don't know how many of them might have had their lives shortened by their military service. My cousin died 30 years after he got back from Vietnam, but I'll go to my grave believing it was Vietnam that killed him at age 49.

Think of the Atomic and Agent Orange Vets, they have suffered and many died as a result of their service.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

15. and even worse are the idiots who thank me for my service

on Memorial Day.... hey! asshole, I am still alive!

no thanks to you or any of most of the popluation.

[R. A. Fuqua]

19. I was raised in Canada---

I thought that "Remembrance Day" is for the war dead and Memorial Day is for any veteran? (even the living--in my family we usually have a party/family get-together where our living veterans are honorees in attendence).


It seems that Americans do not generally celebrate "Remembrance Day" and that they celebrate Memorial Day as only for the dead? There are several other days throughout the year when people honor all dead--like Nov 1--All Saints Day--but from what I have observed most Americans do not do this either?)

It seems as though the dead are not nearly as honored or revered in American culture as they are in many others. (This is just a personal observation--I am sure many people have traditions of respect that I am just unaware of)

[crimson333]

20. we have veterans day for the living who have served

and Memorial Day for those that have died

[tinfoilinfor2005]

22. betcha cheney will get a BIG flag on his gigantic mausoleum

when he croaks...lit up day and night, with a full honor guard.

[radfringe]

27. My Grandfather was in World War 1

He was in the Italian army. After WW-1 he immigrated to America, lived here for a few years, went back to Italy where he met my grandmother. About a year after they married they both came to the US and eventually became citizens.

We put a flag up on his grave - the Italian flag for his country by birth, and an American Flag for his country of choice.