Rep's Corner

On Memorial Day, we are reminded that it is a time to reflect and find some meaningful way to give expression to the powerful emotions we feel when we think of the brave men and women who gave service to their country, and paid the ultimate price to preserve our freedom.

It is a time when we show our soldiers that we believe in what they did. We commend them for placing themselves in harm’s way for democracy. We have not, can not and will not forget their efforts to ensure our freedom. On Memorial Day, we offer them our gratitude.

The celebration of Memorial Day began shortly after the end of the Civil War. In 1868, several southern women decorated the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers with fresh flowers. General John A. Logan , the first Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, was so touched by the actions of these women, he moved to establish similar observances on May 31, 1868.

As Woodrow Wilson said in his 1915 Memorial Day address: “The Civil War created in this country what had never existed before, a national consciousness. It was not the salvation of the Union, it was the rebirth of the Union.”

Over the years, Memorial Day has evolved into a day of remembrance for all who served the United States in a time of war. During this holiday, all across America, people will join together to honor the men and women in military service who fought and died in wars on our land and on the soil of many other nations in order to protect and inspire the belief in freedom. We, as a nation, were founded on the principle of freedom. Our government was conceived with this notion in mind.

From the American Revolution to the current crisis in Kosovo, Americans have been willing to put their lives at risk to preserve freedom. They fought for an ideal that they valued more than life itself, knowing full well they may not survive to see victory. It is important to remember the high price that freedom has extracted from so many Americans. Since the birth of our nation, nearly one and a half million brave men and women have given their lives in defense of our country, or to remove tyranny that plagues other nations.

At this time, I join with you in remembering the brave men and women who gave their lives for our country. We remember and we are grateful to those brave soldiers whose sacrifices helped pave the way for us to live in a country that is strong and free. We celebrate their patriotism and their memory. We recognize their sacrifice, take pride in their accomplishments and keep their noble memories alive. We also remember the families of our fallen heroes, and we grieve their losses. However, as we remember these soldiers, their families and their sacrifice, let us not look upon Memorial Day with sadness, but, rather, with pride that we live in this great nation.

General George S. Patton once said, “Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of the men who followed and of the men who lead, that gain the victory.”

We must remember the many lessons that the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have died in conflict have taught us. Their sacrifices remind us on this Memorial Day of the greatness of their service as well as the glory of our national heritage they fought to preserve. By sacrificing their lives, they have taught us that no great nation can survive unless its citizens display extraordinary courage in time of war, our precious freedom cannot be bought and to be eternally free, there must be a willingness to sacrifice in order to survive.

Each day, not just Memorial Day, we must remember and give thanks for their courage as we honor the memory of each soldier dedicated to upholding of peace and freedom. The very same peace and freedom we enjoy each day of our lives.


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© Copyright 2008 State Representative Lynn Olman. All rights reserved.