Memorial Day Weekend

“Preserve the Past, Enhance the Present and Invest in the Future” is the motto of outgoing President General Merry Ann T. Wright, National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution. For me, it sums up what I love about DAR – and Memorial Day.

The weekend before Memorial Day I was honored to be part of my chapter’s 81st anniversary party in Old Town Alexandria and inducted as a new chapter officer. I love being part of an organization made up of strong, enterprising women who get involved in their communities, support the troops and raise money for education and historical preservation. I’m also proud to serve as Project Patriot committee chair, collecting items to send to troops recovering at Landstuhl Medical Center in Germany.

Far from ladies who lunch and the aged, cloistered band of “blue hairs” many seem to think of when someone mentions DAR, my chapter has an abundance of younger members and we enjoy socializing outside of official DAR events (see my first article on Bunco).

This weekend, as Memorial Day approached, I was honored to attend a naturalization ceremony at Gunston Hall, home of George Mason, author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights (forbearer to the Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights). The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service did a lovely job, and despite the gale-force winds coming off the Potomac, it was a touching ceremony with new Americans from all over the globe, including Iran, Afghanistan, China and Pakistan. There was a young Marine formerly of Ghana who was beaming with pride in his dress uniform. There were children running around, oblivious to the transformation before them, and even a few patriotic cicadas hanging out on the lawn.

As I mentioned to the Gunston Hall Interim Director Patrick Ladden, I never miss an opportunity to attend a ceremony if I can help it. Because, I’m not just a Daughter of the American Revolution…I’m the daughter of a Canadian immigrant who can still remember vividly the day when her family stood in front of a judge in Detroit, Michigan and watched her mother take the oath of allegiance and swear to raise her children faithfully as American citizens. (My grandfather was an American.) Now obviously, it’s no great shakes to jump from Ontario to Michigan, but it still took a leap of faith on my grandparents’ part that their lives would be better on this side of the border. And it always astounds me to meet immigrants who faced seemingly insurmountable hurdles, like language and culture, sneaking out of an oppressive regime and fighting their way to a new home and better life for their children.

I’m glad these two events happened a week apart. I always try to remember both halves of who I am and how that complex balancing act is exactly what the Revolutionary generation faced as well—shedding an old identity and picking up a new one based on ideals and principles over blood and culture or religion. When called upon to defend those principles they answered the call. That is what Memorial Day is all about. And it is still part of the oath of citizenship – each new citizen swears not only allegiance to the United States but promises to serve in the military and take up arms in defense of her if called upon. And just like 250 years ago, everyone on Saturday said, “I will.” Now that’s what makes us a great country.

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