Memorial Day

My b/f and I were having a pretty heated discussion the other day about Memorial Day.

He was sort of complaining about all of the activities that he and his staff were having to participate in because he feels that Memorial Day honors veterans.  I said no...that it was his duty as an military member and veteran of combat to honor those that have given their lives for our country and that the day to honor veterans, living and dead, was Veteran's Day in November.

His argument though, was that as a combat veteran, why couldn't Memorial Day honor all veterans because, especially now with the war, most currently serving servicemen and women, have served with someone that has died in the line of duty.

So I put it this way...

To me, Memorial Day is a day that we Americans honor those men and women that have gone before us and laid down their lives so that we can have the freedoms that we have.  These men and women were the Marines on Iwo Jima and the soldiers at Normandy, and the men and women that have died in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Today is a day to remember what they died for, not to honor those still with us.

I do not take today as a day to honor my service to our country.  I do that in November with every other veteran out there.

I'm curious to see how others view it and if I am wrong...