Memorial Day

As I was looking around various blogs yesterday I soon began to realise that it was Memorial Day, an American holiday that commemorates those that have fallen during conflict.

As far as I can tell, this holiday is beginning to take on a slightly different meaning in that it reminds people to say thank you to those who have joined whichever branch of the Forces and are willing to put their lives at risk.

Now, it may well be that you don't agree with why they are putting their lives at risk or feel that we shouldn't be 'celebrating war' as some see such events as doing. However, while I don't know about America, or any other country for that matter, I do think that here in the UK we don't do enough for our soldiers and their families.

There is a move afoot in the UK to have an Armed Forces Day - a holiday Monday some time in November. Again, this has stirred up all kinds of viewpoints, from the basic "yes, lets have another holiday Monday" which isn't the point, to the more complex views on how we should be supporting our men and women in better ways rather than having just another holiday!

Whatever your viewpoint may be I do get the feeling that here in the UK we no longer treat our soldiers with the pride and patriotism that we used to do, or at least that the photographs from the World Wars seem to suggest that we used to do.

Does anyone out there feel differently or think that that respect should be earned and not automatically granted? Personally I feel that we could show our support in many more ways and at the very least we should be far more open about out support for these individuals even if we don't agree with the politics behind some of the recent deployments.