I am always bothered by people who wish others a 'Happy Memorial Day'

[Siwsan]

It tells me they have no idea, or just don’t care, about the intention of this day. It is to memorialize and honor those who gave their lives in order to protect this country, and the countries of our allies. It is a somber day - not a day for store sales. At least that’s IMHO.

My family has been spared the grief of losing someone to a war - at least from World War I, forward. None the less, my Dad instilled in us the importance of looking after the graves of family members. I have four uncles who fought in World War II, and were able to return to the family. Today my brother and I will head out to trim the grass around their grave stones, wash the stones and, no doubt, recall some of our favorite anecdotes. We are beyond grateful that these amazing men were there for us - amazing and loving role models, each and every one.

Along the way we will also care for the graves of other family members, who lived in the fear that Memorial Day could have had a much more personal meaning, to them. So, please, if you have been fortunate enough to have never had to receive a family member home, in a flag covered coffin be grateful. And, if you have known that deep sorrow, my heart goes out to you.

[RKP5637]

1. Well said!!! n/t

[wasupaloopa]

2. I served in Vietnam and survived but what bothers me is how

politicized we have made honoring the military.

[Siwsan]

4. And how commercialized honoring the military has become

Memorial Day, Veteran's Day have become big reasons for sales. I fail to see the connection between military service and 'great deals' on furniture.

[CountAllVotes]

6. Honor them & do nothing to HELP them

From the wife of an 82-year old blind vet that lives on $400 a month.

Disgraceful!

Happy Memorial Day my ass!

[Oneironaut]

23. Further proof that "support the troops" is code for "shut up and love war."

These scumbag politicians would probably thumb their nose at veterans, give them a look of disgust, and walk away. They treat others like pawns.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

3. I agree.

[handmade34]

5. yes

thank you for saying it!

all the men in my family as far back as I know served in the military but none died in service... but I did a lot of growing up at the VFW National Home (for widows and orphans of the wars) in Eaton Rapids Michigan (my grandfather was WWI veteran, died shortly after and my grandmother took the kids and became a housemother there until she retired)


one take on Memorial Day...
https://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/memorial-day-veterans-day-honoring-dead-fallen-soldiers.html

When I asked Bill why people honoring living soldiers and veterans on Memorial Day bothers him so much, his answer was: Because of the Wall, the Vietnam memorial in Washington, D.C., where the names of the 58,220 soldiers who died in that war are engraved in a long and heartbreaking list...
All those men, and some women too, who died in Vietnam and every war before and since, didn't get the chance to bring up their children, or grow old with their spouses, or have careers. All they have is their names on the Wall, or another memorial like it, and a triangular folded flag for their families.
So go ahead and thank our veterans and support our troops on every other day. Save Memorial Day for remembering and honoring those who never had the chance to become veterans. This one day a year is all they and their loved ones have left.

[Siwsan]

7. My paternal grandmother's family has been here since pre-Revolutionary War

We are getting ready to dig into the family tree but family lore is ancestors served in pretty much every war in which this country has been involved. It will be interesting to see if records confirm this, and the histories we will learn.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

8. Entirely on your side, Siwsan...

Have told this for years and years to people. My family realizes the gravity of the day just not the deep hurt I carry for the 63 brothers, my close friends, that were taken too soon in Vietnam.

Last year I commented on a post at Facebook saying about the same as you have here.
The lambasting I took was unbelievable.

[Docreed2003]

9. Well said...

As someone who has placed bodies into bags for transport onto helicopters, who has tried to mend war torn bodies only to hear later those young men died, who has seen the result of war on civilian and military members alike up close and personal...I agree completely.

This isn't supposed to be a "happy" day, this isn't a day to get the best sales at stores, it isn't a day to honor veterans...it is the most solemn day to honor the fallen.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. There should be a way to acknowledge the day without the word "happy"

because that's not the right word at all, but it seems to be the word we use for all occasions whether they are happy or not. Better not to use it at all - go to a ceremony or visit a cemetery, maybe; or just use the day off from work for whatever other activity, but a cheerful "happy Memorial Day" greeting just seems wrong.

[Grins]

11. 102-Years...

For 102 years Memorial Day, formerly Decoration Day, was celebrated on May 30th.

Today, conveniently moved to the last Monday in May - for your shopping 'experience'.

[rainin]

12. I'm bothered, too.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

13. Perhaps we should say "Have a MEANINGFUL Memorial Day". . . . nt

[mwooldri]

14. Considering what happens on Memorial Day...

Retail has a major sales event,
Outdoor pools open,
People have cook-outs...

Yeah... Remembering what exactly? The "unofficial start of summer"?

Media should play its part. Cover memorial events.

[democrank]

15. Thank you for this, Siwsan.

No "Happy Memorial Day" here, no running to the hardware store to take advantage of sales on barbecue grills.

Today I'm thinking of my beloved Vietnam Vet and his fight to the death with Agent Orange brain cancer.

I'm thinking of that 20-something soldier who got both his hands blown off in Iraq.

I'm thinking of that Korean War Vet at a Vermont VA who rolled his wheelchair up to the newfangled sign-in kiosk and just stared.

I'm thinking of Senator John McCain.

I'm thinking of homeless vets, vets who have committed suicide, vets with PTSD, vets who run races on new legs.

Nope, no "Happy Memorial Day" here. Just an attempt at understanding and honoring profound
sacrifice.

[Kirk Lover]

16. 3:00 pm no matter what you are doing, no matter where you are a moment of silence and

thought for all who have died making this country great.
Thank you American Heroes.

[OliverQ]

17. Eric Swalwell put Happy in his tweet too.

He's getting criticized on twitter, despite the rest of the tweet being meaningful. Kind of surprised since he's usually more careful with his words. Maybe a staffer wrote this one.

[sarge43]

18. Agree.

It's somber day, not a happy one.

"....they said what we'd won. They didn't say what we lost."

[shadowmayor]

19. And the confused

actually try to thank me for my service on this day??? I tell them, today is for the dead. For the living we have another day called Veteran's Day. There's a big difference.

[3catwoman3]

20. I made exactly this point to one of the staff nurses...

...at my pediatric office on Friday, when she wished me a "Happy Memorial Day," as we were getting ready to leave after all the patients were gone. I told her, politely, why that phrase just doesn't sound right. She meant well, I have no doubt, and is a sweet and compassionate person. She said she had never thought about the history of it. Unlike me, she has never been in the military.

I'll bet she will from now on.

[oasis]

21. I simply tell folks to have a "safe holiday" and leave it at that. nt

[Oneironaut]

22. Thank you. I was about to post exactly this. No more wars.

Memorial day isn't “happy.” It’s a day commemorating when humans failed so dearly that we needed to try and systematically destroy each other. It’s to honor the victims of those failures.

The appropriation of Memorial Day is truly vile. Politicians and political hacks use it to clamor about how the US has the greatest military in the world, and how it’s ready to fight any war. That’s not the point. You’re the types that got these men killed in the first place.