Stop criticizing how others celebrate Memorial Day

Memorial Day is just around the corner. For me its one of the very few times of the year I get to spend with family members of mine, many of whom it seemed only yesterday were little kids running around the yard but now have families of their own. Together we have a cookout, drink, eat and have a grand ol' time together.

Lately it seems some veterans groups are criticizing the way people like me and my family choose to spend this holiday with family gatherings, barbecues, pool parties and trips to the beach, much in the way many evangelical Christians have been going around criticizing others about the way they spend Christmas, saying we fail to understand the real reason for Memorial Day.

That's silly. Of course I understand. It's a day for remembering those who sacrificed their lives on foreign battlefields for the defense and preservation of our freedom (that's my definition in my own words). My father was a veteran of the Korean conflict. And I was always proud of his service to our country as any son would be.

But he also worked very hard for a living fathering and supporting his family of seven children, myself included. And he looked forward to holidays like these where he could have off from work and spend time with us. Do you veterans want to begrudge families like ours of that?

Honestly, you have my condolences for your losses and appreciate and honor their sacrifices for our freedom. But I don't know your loved ones lying in their graves any more than you don't know mine laying in theirs.

So, rather than get into a nasty argument about this which I'm sure we all don't want here, whadaya say we split this problem down the middle and give this holiday a second name. For those of you who want to spend this holiday at the cemetery remembering your dead, call it Memorial Day. For those of you who want to have family get togethers and have fun, call it Summer Kickoff Day, which is what it is technically.

Isn't compromise cool?