Many others celebrated the day as one of a few holidays in the year during which a large portion of the country doesn’t have to work. And many of those celebrate that fact by treating it like the unofficial start of summer (more on that later). Trips to the beach, relaxing on boats, or just general relaxation at home ... you get the idea.
This year, some people used it as another opportunity to attack our President.
President Barack Obama decided to spend Memorial Day in Illinois, planning to speak at the state’s Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in respect to the holiday. The event was marred by a severe thunderstorm in the area.
Vice President Joe Biden attended the traditional Memorial Day event at Arlington National Cemetery at Fort Myer, Va. Obama’s detractors are using this as an excuse to lob more negative sentiment his way, ignoring the fact that many other past presidents have attended events other than those at Arlington.
Folks, America’s war dead are not confined solely in Arlington. This should go without saying, as should many other things that should not escape those blessed with common sense.
Obama did his best to honor Memorial Day, just like every president before him. The fact that he did it in Illinois – along with the fact that he is not a wizard capable of diverting poor weather conditions – should not be a big deal.
Disagree with or dislike Obama. That’s your choice. But if you’re going to do it, do it for reasons that don’t make you look like you’re reaching for reasons to do so.
***
Trigg County High School’s Class of 2010 graduated Friday. From me to them, congratulations.
I’m sure you’ve all heard from countless others how you’re taking the next big step in your lives right now, so I won’t pile on to that group. I’ll just wish you good luck.
I will say, however, that we should also be congratulating the ones who helped those students get to where they are today.
We all have teachers we remember fondly and others less so. We may even think we have good reasons for thinking some teachers wanted nothing other than to ruin our lives.
Seniors, regardless of how you view the people you’ve just spent the last 13 or so years of your lives with, understand that whether you liked them or not, they helped you. Without them, you wouldn’t have much of an education.
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, respect ‘em.
***
Summer has (un)officially begun.
Technically, the seasons don’t change again until June 21, but our society tends to attribute the end of the school year and the passing of Memorial Day as the beginning of summer. Just like Labor Day (Sept. 6) is the beginning of autumn ... even though it doesn’t really begin until Sept. 23.
Not that it’s a big deal. I’m big on consistency, but this is toward the bottom of my list of things that need changing.
Justin McGill is executive editor of The Cadiz Record and can be reached by email at jmcgill@cadizrecord.com.
