Jon Kyl, May 31, 2010

Of all our national holidays, Memorial Day is perhaps one each of us should do more to honor. The day, of course, is more than the unofficial start of summer and a day to barbecue. It is the one day of the year we have officially dedicated to honoring and remembering American service men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice defending our nation and protecting our way of life.

When Americans first observed Memorial Day -- then known as Decoration Day -- in 1868, thousands gathered at Arlington National Cemetery, just across the Potomac River from Washington, to honor those who died in the Civil War. That tradition continues at Arlington today, though now we remember those who have died in all conflicts in which our nation has engaged.

The United States has always been fortunate to have legions of citizens willing to volunteer and serve their country. Many choose to do so even though they know it’s quite likely they will end up in harm’s way. Indeed, each soldier who had served or is currently serving in Iraq or Afghanistan volunteered for the job. Even when political figures began criticizing and politicizing our roles in those nations, young men and women continued to step forward and volunteer to fight.

We read about people who put their lives on the line to save the lives of others -- like the first responders who rushed into the burning World Trade towers. While our troops are often called on to save other’s lives, they also are sent to defend and protect our values -- like freedom, democracy, and our way of life.

One reason, I think, that many Americans have decided to serve is because such service is a way of expressing their loyalty to our country. Our nation inspires loyalty. It represents certain principles, namely those laid out in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and those that our great leaders have called on at momentous occasions. A few years ago, in an interview with the journal In Character, Josiah Bunting, a historian and educator, said that, "loyalty is something which I bestow upon or owe to individuals, or national institutions, but it is based on their embodiment of certain principles which I find compelling."

I think he has it right. One way we can show our loyalty to the principles our nation embodies is by honoring and respecting our national institutions and those who serve them -- and there is no better way of doing that than serving the country. Memorial Day recognizes the utmost service to our nation. Over the past nine years, more than 5,400 American service members have lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many thousands more lost their lives in previous conflicts.

This Memorial Day, let’s remember both those who died in service to their country and the principles that inspired their devotion to our nation’s cause.

Senator Jon Kyl, a Republican, represents Arizona in the U.S. Senate. He serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Finance Committee, and the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.