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This Memorial Day, many Americans will gather for barbecues, enjoy a long weekend, or mark the start of summer. But amid the festivities, one phrase you won’t—or shouldn’t—hear is “Happy Memorial Day.” Unlike Veterans Day which celebrates service members past and present, Memorial Day is a solemn occasion, a time to honor the American service members who made the ultimate sacrifice. To wish someone a “happy” Memorial Day completely misses the purpose of the day.
Memorial Day, established after the Civil War and formalized as a federal holiday in 1971, is dedicated to those who died in military service. Each flag at half-staff, each wreath laid at Arlington National Cemetery, represents lives cut short—sons, daughters, parents, and friends who never returned home. Their sacrifice secured the freedoms we cherish.
That’s why the words we choose on this day matter. Memorial Day actually isn’t about celebrating service members. It isn’t even a time to advocate for greater benefits for our veterans. It’s a day to reflect on the sacrifice of those few brave men and women in uniform who gave their lives for our country. Accordingly, we ought to choose words that promote the true purpose of the day.
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Few learned this lesson quicker than “Squad” members, Rep. Ilhan Omar and former Rep. Cori Bush who received well-deserved backlash for their tone-deaf Memorial Day messages last year. Both members of congress posted messages that appeared to confuse Memorial Day with Veterans Day. Omar wrote, “On #MemorialDay, we honor the heroic men and women who served our country,” advocating for veterans’ access to mental health services, housing, and jobs. Bush echoed similar rhetoric, stating, “This Memorial Day and every day, we honor our veterans in St. Louis,” followed by a call for universal healthcare. The misguided messages earned swift rebuke from Americans, including many veterans, around the country.
The social media outrage served an important purpose. The backlash was bigger than an opportunity to score political points against the Left. Americans on both sides of the aisle came together to defend the sacredness of the one day in the year completely dedicated to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. So, the social shame attached to misunderstanding the purpose of Memorial Day is not only justified – it’s necessary. In a political era marked by so much frivolity, Americans—especially those in elected leadership—ought to choose words that reflect the gravity of this day.
To be clear, this isn’t about political correctness. It’s not about virtue signaling. And it certainly isn’t about promulgating more of the noxious “language policing” that happens so frequently on Ivy League campuses. It’s simply about protecting the solemnity of the day.
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Memorial Day is not a festive holiday, but rather one deserving of reverence. It’s a day for pause. Simply put, today is about showing proper respect to those who made it possible to enjoy freedom today.
It is not difficult to honor Memorial Day with the solemnity it deserves. Simply taking a moment to reflect, to attend a local remembrance ceremony, or to learn the story of a fallen service member can have a meaningful impact. Visit a cemetery, join moments of silence, or offer support to Gold Star families. Organizations across the country hold events—large and small—to commemorate the fallen. Local veterans’ groups lay wreaths, play taps, and read names aloud. Schools sometimes host programs to teach younger generations what the day is truly about. These rituals are not political or performative; they are acts of collective memory, meant to keep the stories of our nation’s heroes alive.
The sacrifices of over one million Americans who died while serving in the armed forces demand a language of respect and gratitude. Of course, we can and should celebrate those who currently serve in uniform on other days throughout the year, but Memorial Day demands humility and respect for our fallen heroes. Their sacrifice deserves nothing less.
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