Memorial Day: Exclusive or Inclusive Remembrance?

This Monday was Memorial Day. A day commonly defined as ‘A day to honor all of our fallen heroes.’ It was a tradition started shortly after the Civil War. Victors write the history books..but should they be the only ones who are remembered?

?Amidst all the memorial services, there was one discordant chord. In rural Georgia, for example, there were reports of Confederate flags being flown in remembrance of the Confederate soldiers. Confederate soldiers fought against the Union soldiers, the ones who the holiday was originally started for.  One of the things that Confederate soldiers fought for was the enslavement of other human beings (continuation of slavery). Some believe that because of this core belief, fallen Confederate soldiers do not deserve to be honored on Memorial Day.

Currently, there is a tradition of the President sending a wreath to the Confederate Memorial at Arlington on Memorial Day. Woodrow Wilson started the tradition in 1914. The first Bush changed the practice from having the wreath sent on the birthday of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, to being sent on Memorial Day. Some people feel very strongly against this, and wish that the tradition be discontinued. Last year, Edward Sebesta, a Dallas-based historian who has authored writings about the modern day effects of neo-Confederate groups, started a petition to have this practice ended, which garnered around 60 signatures. He sent it to President Obama. Obviously, it didn't appear to change the president's policies this year; the wreath was still delivered.

Until recently, Confederate Memorial Day and Memorial day were, in fact, two different holidays. Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day, and was for Union soldiers. After World War One it was expanded to honor all fallen American soldiers. Meanwhile, Southern states celebrated Confederate President Jefferson Davis's birthday, June 3rd, as a type of remembrance day.

During Obama's Memorial Day address this Monday, he stated “On this day, we honor not just those who’ve worn this country’s uniform, but the men and women who’ve died in its service; who’ve laid down their lives in defense of their fellow citizens; who’ve given their last full measure of devotion to protect the United States of America."

This country. To protect the United States of America. Should soldiers that were considered American at at least one point be excluded from a day of remembrance just because of what and who they were fighting for? 

Technically the proclamation states 'those fighting for the US' and the South did secede from the US and engage in a war against it. However..who can really declare which side, in that fight, was the 'true' US?  Maybe neither were, since the second the South seceded, there were no more united states, just two factions.

What do you think? Should the South not be honored, or should we stop raking up old history and celebrate Memorial day through our own personal interpretation, sans the Confederacy or not? 

Sources
Obama's Address
Like The Dew: Keith Graham
Memorial Day In The South