As an Eagle Scout, my patriotism runs deep. But as I often say, details matter and this is one of those things that is starting to annoy me more as I get older.

Memorial Day originally began as a symbol and remembrance of the horror of war. It was created as a holiday by President Ulysses Grant approximately at the end of the battle of Gettysburg. Gettysburg is considered the turning point in the US Civil War. This is a day to remember those who died in battle, in service to their country, period.

Like many people, I don’t actually know anyone that has died in battle. I know people that were wounded and I know people that later succumbed to their demons. Most of them were kids who’s lives have not yet begun. So unless you are a parent, spouse, sibling or served in combat it is not likely you will have a strong connection to this holiday either.

In this age of ‘woke’ and relative morality, culturally we have lost touch with actual right and wrong. In lieu of potentially offending someone, we just accept wrongness and actively perpetuate it. Patriotic groups are actually the worst at propagating the improper image. I will explain.

My sons’ Boy Scout Troop places flags at one of the local graveyards during the week of Memorial Day. The selection criteria for a grave getting a flag is whether there is an indicator that the person served in the military on the headstone.

That level of discrimination has nothing to do with actual Memorial Day. For the most part, I can tell that most of them did not die in the line of duty by how long they lived. I have also seen flags placed on empty graves because I know one person who’s spouse died and has the headstone mostly complete, including USMC.

At my church last year, everyone that served in the military was recognized during Memorial Sunday. I heard a local country music station say thanks to all that served, including now first responders. We have gone off of the deep end on giving recognition that is way out of context to the meaning of the event.

Service for the most part is a choice, not an enlightenment. I am thankful that people make that choice. But I also believe in supply/demand economics. The kids that I know that have enlisted are doing so for education, VA home loans, paychecks, signing bonuses and twenty years retirement. That is a great reason to do so and I support that decision methodology.

But, lets no kid ourselves here. A signing bonus is a long way from the Marine landing at Omaha Beach or the Pacific islands. Watching actual footage of kids throwing up out of fear and cut to bodies bobbing in the surf has little to do with each other. War is a business where casualties are expected, it is a matter of which ones.

I am all for expressing gratitude, its is a trait that I am not very good at. I just want us to actually take to heart this weekend that ‘Some Gave All’, almost universally not by choice. Strategic and tactical decisions were made and the consequences were death. Let us not cheapen their sacrifice because we are ignorant or are worried that someone is going to be left out of recognition.