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Sunday, May 25, 2014

The Vast Melting Pot

This morning, the guy behind the counter at the place where I got coffee asked me, "Is Monday one of those holidays for you?"  After some discussion, I understood that this man was asking whether Monday was a Christian religious holiday.  I found this shocking.  The guy at the cash register is an immigrant from Bangladesh who has been in the USA for at least a year and a half.  He may have been here for longer, but I first met him a year and a half ago.  The place he works has about six employees, all of whom come from Bangladesh. 

I explained to this fellow that Memorial Day was a commemoration of those in the military who lost their lives in the service of the country and that it was first established after the Civil War to honor those who had died in that conflict.  His response was that Americans have too many holidays.

So is it really surprising that there are people here who have no idea what is the significance of Memorial Day?  Of course not.  Their existence, however, is evidence of the failure of this country to educate its residents about significant items regarding the USA.  I am not talking about the failure of the schools; they deal only with children.  I speak instead of the media and the government.  When, for instance, is the last time you heard anyone on TV mention the real meaning of Memorial Day.  Tomorrow, there may be some 15 second item on the news showing someone playing taps at a military cemetery, but would that really educate people about the meaning of the day? 

We need to do a better job.

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