EDITORIAL: A weekend to honor fallen heroes

Take time to recognize Memorial Day.

   The origin of Memorial Day is a point of conjecture, with towns from Columbus, Miss., to Macon, Ga., to Boalsburg, Pa., all claiming to be the birthplace of the holiday that will be celebrated nationwide this Monday. President Lyndon Johnson gave the designation to Waterloo, N.Y., in 1966 because of that town’s annual community event that first was held 100 years earlier in the aftermath of the Civil War.
   But the first national celebration came two years later on May 30, 1868, as declared by Gen. John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of Civil War veterans. He arranged for Decoration Day — a day where the GAR posts across the country would lay flowers at or otherwise decorate, "the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country." He went on to state that, "In this observance, no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit."
   Here in Lawrence, the traditional celebration involves the annual Memorial Day parade, set for 10 a.m. Saturday. It will begin on Princeton Pike at Stonicker Drive and wind its way down Darrah Lane and Birchwood Knoll before ending in Veterans Park. At that point a short ceremony will be held, including the placing of a wreath at the Veterans Memorial. It also will be the first such event in Lawrence since 2002, as the parade and its festivities were canceled last year due to rain.
   Memorial Day comes at an awkward time this year, as the United States military has been front and center in most of the political issues that are at the forefront of discussion in newspapers, talk shows and office chats throughout the country. In the past two years, our servicemen and women have been involved in a controversial and divisive war, a dangerous and drawn-out occupation of a foreign country and an offensive and embarrassing prison abuse scandal. While it would be possible to look past this holiday because of those issues, it would also be wrong.
   Memorial Day should be one time where we set aside political and ideological differences to honor those who gave their lives doing what their country asked of them. It is an ultimate sacrifice that should be respected. After all, there was no greater divide in our country’s history than the Civil War. And it was that war that gave birth to this holiday.
   So we urge the residents of Lawrence to enjoy the pomp and pageantry of the parade, observe the respectful remembrance of the Veterans Park ceremony, and follow the advice of Gen. Logan 136 years ago and spend this holiday weekend honoring our fallen comrades.