Daily Herald editorial

Although the three-day weekend that marks the unofficial beginning of summer is a welcome break for many Americans, it has become more clear on a yearly basis that lumping important holidays, such as Memorial Day, into a three-day package has weakened the day’s meaning for the sake of convenience.

Memorial Day began as Decoration Day after the Civil War and, although its name changed in the late 19th century it was for years celebrated on May 30. Then Congress reorganized federal holidays in 1968 to create tidy, three-day-weekend packages which are convenient for individuals and most businesses but which, it was almost immediately recognized, did little to underscore the meaning of the holiday. (This year, as occasionally happens, May 30 coincides with the federally mandated “last-day-in-may” holiday schedule.)

Veterans groups and some lawmakers have objected from time to time, but their efforts to break Memorial Day free from its weekend location have been fruitless. It’s a shame, because the weekend arrangement puts all of the focus on travel and time off and distracts from Memorial Day’s real purpose, which is to recognize, honor and celebrate the sacrifices of those who died in our country’s service. America would not exist today without those sacrifices, and it seems setting aside a day for recognition of that reality would not be amiss.

We would not go so far as to suggest that Americans shouldn’t start summer (unofficially) with a three-day weekend. But perhaps Memorial Day itself could without too much trouble be restored to its May 30 date, even if it doesn’t mean a day off of work. Recognizing the gift American military personnel have given all of us seems a small token of repayment.