Memorial Day

The New Hampshire and New York columns of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. The Washington Monument is in the background.

The World War II Memorial was dedicated in May 2004. It honors "the 16 million who served in the armed forces of the U.S., the more than 400,000 who died, and all who supported the war effort from home." It is a beautiful memorial and a "fitting and proper" tribute to those who served, but sometimes I fear we miss the point.

As Abraham Lincoln said in another time:

"It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled ... have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract ... It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought [have] so nobly advanced."