Where does an analysis of WEB 2.0 go when looking at Memorial Day? Firstly understand that Memorial Day means different things to different people. It was meant to be more that just a patriotic holiday, something I did not understand when I matched in the Memorial Day parade in my hometown years ago. Nor is it a day to recognize veterans, although the day is special to them. It is a day to recognize those who have given their lives in sacrifice for our country.
Memorial Day's presence in our social media becomes two levels of remembrance. At one level is a general recognition of those who have died in defense of this country. These posts are patriotic and sometime meaningful and touching. As a veteran with a number of friends lost, I really do appreciate those posts. They express the general meaning of the day and, if done right, make readers realize it is not a "happy Memorial Day."
The other level is the more specific remembrances that identify specific events and/or people. To those of us involved, these posts on our social media takes us back to that moment when it happened, or when we first found out. For each of the names listed below, I can give the details of what happened. It is our way of honoring our friends no longer with us, and helping us to "never forget."
Is it educational? Well last year, I received a text on my phone from a young man from my church. I had been helping him learn to drive because his dad was not available to do so (that dad is on my list below). He reminded me that the weekend was a time to remember ...and listed five of the names below. He had to have looked back into my old FB posts to know those names and what they meant to me. To that young man, he knows personally what Memorial Day means, and understands what it means to me. I will not delete that text from my phone.
My memorial day is about:
Lt. Jane Paradeis, USN - CH-46 crash Chesapeake Bay
Lt. Jason Skubi, USN - CH-46 crash Chesapeake Bay
AT1 Norman Geisel, USN - CH-46 crash Chesapeake Bay
AMS3 John Burkhardt, USN - CH-46 crash Chesapeake Bay
AMS2 James Crockford, USN - CH-46 crash Red Sea
Lt. Bantee Hall, USN - T-45 crash, Pensacola Bay
Sgt. Terrance Harrison, USA - PTSD, Virginia
GMC Howard Coyer, USN - PTSD, North Carolina
And yes...finishing this list the screen gets very hard to read. I will never forget.
Thank you seems so little to offer, but thank you for your service. I will be thankful and remember.
ReplyDeleteI will remember.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciated all of the posts I saw this year in which my friends remembered their family members who had lost their lives in service. It is important for us to see these connections, especially when our own families may not have direct connections.
ReplyDeleteI was raised in Canada, where the day of recognition is in the autumn, and is called Remembrance Day. It is Nov 11 -- so, same as Veteran's Day in the US. It doesn't create a long weekend, and is always a very somber day.
Interestingly, the Canadians also have a late May / start of summer holiday: Victoria Day.
Growing up in Rochester NY, I can recall joint events along the border. Later, as I worked with various Canadian Special units training here, it was always a special dinner at the dinning hall.
ReplyDelete