Remember to not forget

I think of my mother on Memorial Day, since her birthday, May 30, was the traditional date for the Memorial Day observance. Some believe it should be restored to that date, feeling that when Congress made Memorial Day fall on the "last Monday of May" with the National Holiday Act of 1971, it made it all the easier for people to be distracted from the spirit and meaning of the day. As one VFW'er put it: "Changing the date merely to create a three-day weekend has contributed greatly to the general public's nonchalant observance of Memorial Day."

Well, we're not nonchalant about Memorial Day in the city where the first Memorial Day service was held in the U.S. back in 1866. Rain or shine on Monday, the 140th Annual Carbondale Memorial Day Service will commence at 10:00 a.m. in historic Woodlawn Cemetery on East Main Street (behind old Taco Bell on Walnut St.). The keynote speaker will be Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Rose of the Illinois Army National Guard, who recently completed a one-year tour of duty in Iraq. In addition, a high school vocalist and veterans of other wars will participate, with Mayor Brad Cole as Master of Ceremonies. Cole shares his thoughts about Memorial Day in this month's Carbondale Communique.

According to the web site Memorial Day History, in 1999 a Senate Bill (SB 189) was introduced to restore the traditional day of observance of Memorial Day back to May 30th. The same year, a similar bill was introduced into the House of Representatives (H.R. 1474). Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Government Reform, the bills were never voted on.

It is a good thing on this last Monday of May for the nation to strew flowers on the graves of men and women who died in defense of their country -- then barbecue in the afternoon. But since May 30 is not currently being used, perhaps the date could be reserved as a day to remember the names of the civilian decision makers responsible for the Vietnam War and those behind Operation Iraqi Freedom.