As Americans take to the roads for a long Memorial Day weekend, eager to get out of the cities and out of their routines — and more than ready for a little rest and relaxation — the origins and meaning of this holiday are lost – or, at least, hardly anyone thinks of them anymore. Formally, it is a day reserved for the remembrance of our war dead: historically, it was meant as a day of reconciliation in the wake of the Civil War. In reality, however, it is just another excuse for Americans to get out their barbecues, invite the neighbors over for a party, and forget about their troubles.
With three wars going simultaneously, and a few more in the hopper, Americans are sick and tired of war: they don’t want to remember it – and who can blame them? Indeed, Americans don’t care to remember much of anything, these days, least of all the disastrous wars that have plagued us in recent years. Inundated with problems that seem insoluble, convinced they can have no effect on the course of events in any case, most Americans have acquired a case of advanced historical Alzheimer’s out of sheer self-protection.
For example, how many recall their President’s recent statement that US participation in the NATO attacks on Libya would last for “days, not weeks”? I see that Matt Drudge is reminding us of this, with a headline near the top of his page – but, really, how much difference does that make?
How many recall those “weapons of mass destruction” that were supposed to be the reason we went to war with Iraq? Where are they? Where were they? Nobody seems very bothered that they never existed. Certainly there have been no investigations or hearings into the matter, and – naturally – not a single public official has been held accountable.
