Ingersoll experienced war firsthand — he served in the Union army during the Civil War. As a veteran, he knew and appreciated the sacrifice his brothers in arms made for their country.
Today, Memorial Day, has become the unofficial mile post marking the start of summer across much of America; it also, for many retailers, is an excuse for an easily marketable sale. But the sentiments of American writer Thomas Dunn English provide a better summation of the meaning of the day: “But the freedom that they fought for, and the country grand they wrought for, is their monument today.”
In 2000, Congress passed the National Moment of Remembrance Act, asking all Americans to pause for at least a moment at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day to honor those who have fallen. According to the White House Commission on Remembrance, the idea for the moment was hatched when children touring Washington, D.C., were asked what Memorial Day means. They responded, “That’s the day the pool opens.”
At 3 p.m. today, we hope you take time from enjoying your freedom to honor those who have died to protect it.
