Memorial Day: Exclusive or Inclusive Remembrance? - Comments

I don't believe the Civil War was even [i]about[/i] savery. Yes, it was a big issue, but it wasn't what they were ultimately fighting for.

I'm English, so I'm kind of nuetral. But personally I think it's quite right that Obama should honour both sides. There would have been soldiers on both sides who were fighting simply to protect their families, not for the initial causes which may have fired up the leaders, so it's right that they should be remembered.

I for one think this is silly. And btw they weren't fighting for slavery but for state's rights. Lincoln turned it into a war about slavery so England and other European countries who were against slavery would pull out their support from the Confederates making it easier for the Union to win. Many of the soldiers on the confederate side did not own slaves or were against it. And really at that point there was no United states of America. And also look at the fact that only 60 people signed. 60 that is a rather small number when one is trying to change a tradition. So really this day should be for all soldiers

The Confederates were not fighting for slavery because of the enslavement process. It was all about who had more say in the government: the North or the South. The Civil War was not about the moral issue of slavery. It was about money and power.
I think the Confederates should be allowed a separate Memorial Day. The United States of America is the Union, not the Confederacy. Confederates were against the Union. As someone below me said, we don't honor the Japanese, do we? The Confederates may have lived on American soil, but they weren't and still aren't part of the Union, the United States of America.

@American Slang I didn't specifically mention whether he was there or not; he wasn't, he just sent a wreath, which was ultimately what people were upset about.. I was under the impression this was normal procedure for Presidents to do, to just send a wreath? Correct me if I'm wrong :)

Did I skip over it, or did you fail to mention that Obama was not present to lay the wreath at Arlington to continue the tradition? I read it a few times but I may have missed it...

I think that each country has a day of remembrance for their soldiers, and, as far as the United States is concerned, the confederacy doesn't have a place in it. Yes, there are still some people who do consider themselves "confederates" but that isn't...a part of the United States. The confederacy was fighting for things that are against American beliefs, things that were very un-American, so no I don't think those soldiers should be remembered as a part of our Memorial day. Sort of the same way we don't memorialize other "enemies" in past wars that we've fought. I don't think it's about the "Winners" writing history, as much as it's about supporting people who have supported and fought FOR American and not against it.


We wouldn't have a memorial for the Japanese soldiers who died in WWII, so why would have one for the confederate soldiers that fought against us in the Civil War?

Though, if people want to have a memorial for the confederate soldiers, more power to 'em. I just don't think it should be something that's sanctioned by the U.S. government, or by the President.