Sometimes I have to look in the mirror and tell myself how clever I am. But then something always comes along and cuts me to the quick. You probably know the feeling.
Last week I wrote about Memorial Day and the meaning of the day. Well, Time Magazine wrote an article titled “7 Things You Didn’t Know About Memorial Day.”
You already knew all of this information because I wrote it all in the Argus of last week. But this I left out so now you know all of the information.
“In addition to the national holiday, nine states officially set aside a day to honor those who died fighting for the Confederacy in the Civil War: Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Virginia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Georgia. The days vary, but only Virginia observes Confederate Memorial Day on the last Monday of May, in accordance with the federal observance of Memorial Day.
According to the town’s website, in 1966 Congress unanimously passed a resolution to officially recognize Waterloo as the birthplace of the holiday. However, it remains a contentious debate, with other towns, like Boalsburg, Pa., claiming the title of “Birthplace of Memorial Day” as well.
The American Automobile Association projects 34.8 million Americans travel 50 miles or more this weekend, with about 31 million of them traveling by car. But travelers aren’t expected to go quite as far from home this year, with a projected average distance of 642 miles — 150 miles fewer than last year’s average.
Our military men and women do not get this day off (with/without pay), so if you have the day off, please at least respect the true meaning of this day. Shop ‘til you drop sales should not be part of it, either. Spend the day with family and friends and remember that if not for our brave men and women, you wouldn’t have gotten up this glorious morning in the best country on the face of the earth!”
Just remember you read all of this in the Argus first, and maybe we need to look into this 3 p.m. silence. Maybe when the new siren is put in place it could be used to remind everyone at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day to stop for a moment of silence.
If you are ever in a game of trivia or on “Jeopardy,” you now have all of the facts about Memorial Day.