Why We Observe Memorial Day

Each year on Memorial Day Americans pause to remember the fallen and honor their sacrifice. First established as Decoration Day after the Civil War, the holiday was set aside for families and friends to visit and decorate the graves of troops lost in the conflict.

As time went on, the observance instead became known as "Memorial Day," until 1971, when Congress declared it an official holiday set to fall annually on the last Monday in May. 

Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans -- the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) -- established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared that Decoration Day should be observed on May 30.

It is believed that date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country.

Read more here and here.


Related: The Poppy Wall of Honor

Features of Islamic Extremism

Apologists for Islam claim that Islamic terrorism is the work of a few religious fanatics. However, that Islam demands this level of extremism from its adherents as is evident from Islamic writings and  teachers.

Devout Muslims believe they have a duty to expand the rule of Islam. They justify abuse of "infidels" and "idolaters" and under the right circumstance, any one of them can be turned to violence. The most prominent leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Yusuf al-Qaradawi, admits that the "killing of apostates is essential for Islam to survive." He simply is reiterating what is said in the Qur'an.

"If anyone desires a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him." (Qur'an 3:85)

Qur'an 9:30 states that Christians and Jews are perverse. Allah himself fights against them.

"He it is who has sent His Messenger (Mohammad) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islam) to make it victorious over all religions even though the infidels may resist." (Qur'an 61:9)

The Qur'an contains 109 verses that call Muslims to war against non-Muslims in order to advance Islamic rule globally. Some include commands to chop off heads and fingers. Terrorist acts are encouraged. "If thou comest on them in the war, deal with them so as to strike fear in those who are behind them, that haply they may remember." (Qur'an 8:57)

After capturing Mecca in 630 A.D., Mohammad delivered this speech:

"Bear in mind that every claim of privilege, whether that of blood or property is abolished...I reject all claims relating to life and property and all imaginary honors of the past, and declare them to be baseless... A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim and all the Muslims are brothers of one another and constitute one hand as against the non-Muslims."

The Turkish journalist Uzay Bulut studies religious movements. She has written:

"Sadly, the founder of Islam did not leave behind a humanitarian message to respect people of other faiths and to be on an equal footing with them. What the Islamic State (ISIS) and other barbaric Islamist groups have been doing to people is horrific beyond words; but it is meticulously based on Islamic scriptures. So it is not the West causing these human tragedies; it is Islam and Muslims."

Consider these words of the Islamic theologian Syed Abul A'ala Maududi:

"Islam wishes to destroy all states and government anywhere on the face of the earth which are opposed to the ideology and program of Islam regardless of the country or the nation which rules it. The purpose of Islam is to set up a state on the basis of its own ideology and program."

Related reading: Islamic Violence Against Women; Facing the Facts About Islamic Extremism; Is Islam Ethical?; Islamic Extremism and Iconoclasm