Memorial Day is a time traditionally dedicated to honoring those who have died in military service to the United States. The history of this day dates back to “Decoration Day,” after the Civil War and was specifically founded by former enslaved people to both celebrate emancipation and pay homage to those whose lives were lost in such pursuit of freedom. Today’s Memorial Day is observed as bi-partisan holiday to remember those who have died through their military service. While that exact sentiment was relevant to those fighting for their lives and freedom during the civil war, it is no longer true and worth commendable recognition in today’s U.S. imperial war machine we call the military. 

Instead, we would like this Memorial Day to serve as a poignant reminder of a different kind of sacrifice: the lives of Black, Brown, and Indigenous people taken by state violence. While the holiday often focuses on the valor of soldiers, it’s essential to reflect on how the very state meant to protect its citizens has historically and systematically oppressed and ended the lives of its marginalized communities, not to mention the millions of lives in the Global South.

State violence against Black, Brown, and Indigenous folks is somewhat of an American tradition which began with chattel slavery and transformed into the prison industrial complex, police brutality, racially biased legal systems, and institutional neglect we experience today. Our communities have been repeatedly used as scapegoats and shields, our struggles and survival tactics criminalized in a society structured to favor white supremacy. The brutal killings of individuals like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Luis Gongora-Pat and the tens of thousands of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women are among few of the countless others that highlight the ongoing crisis of police violence against people of color. 

The narrative that Black and Brown people are inherently criminal is deeply embedded in the fabric of American society. In the heteropatriarchal white supremecist United States, this perception justifies the excessive use of force and discriminatory practices by law enforcement which lead to such murders. From the stop-and-frisk policies targeting Black and Latino men to the militarized responses to peaceful student led Pro-Palestinian protests, the criminalization of survival for our communities is blatant and relentless. We are often seen not as individuals with inherent dignity and rights, but as perpetual threats to be controlled, subdued, and ultimately eliminated.

Discussions around police reform frequently fall short because they fail to address the foundational issues of a system built on racial and gender-based violence. The ideas of “good” police officers or reforming the existing structures do not hold up when the institution itself is fundamentally designed to extinguish certain groups of people. The presence of Black or gay or disabled officers does not alter the core mission of the police as enforcers of a state that privileges certain lives over others. Identity politics cannot resolve the deep-seated violence inherent in policing and military institutions. These individuals, regardless of their personal identities, operate within a framework that upholds and perpetuates systemic, lethal oppression. Further, the integration of marginalized groups into these violent structures is often used to deflect criticism and maintain the status quo. When the presence of diverse faces in uniforms is touted as progress, it obscures the reality that these individuals, despite their personal backgrounds, are still agents of a state apparatus that perpetuates racism, heterosexism, and other forms of discrimination. The narrative shifts from addressing systemic change to celebrating superficial diversity, which does nothing to protect the lives of those most vulnerable to state violence.

Similarly to the choice to be part of law enforcement, choosing the military as a means of upward mobility cannot and will not change the systemic white supremescist war machine we call our military. It’s no secret that institutions like the military frequently visit high schools in low income communities and communities of color to recruit to join the US war machine and put their bodies on the line when these very kids don’t even have a legal say in voting matters. 

On this Memorial Day, it is crucial to shift our remembrance to those whose lives were lost to state-sanctioned violence. Honoring their memory involves recognizing the structural, historic, and pervasive nature of the violence they faced. It requires us to challenge the notion that policing and military service are inherently noble professions when they are, in fact, instruments of a state that devalues and murders people of color. We must question the efficacy of reforms that do not dismantle the oppressive foundations of these institutions and instead seek to build systems of true justice and equity.

In conclusion, Memorial Day should not be a time to honor military service, rather a moment to reflect on and mourn the lives lost to state violence. We must acknowledge the systemic issues that perpetuate this violence and reject the false promises of reform that do not address the root causes. By doing so, we can work towards a society where all lives are valued and protected, not just those deemed worthy by a discriminatory state.