To nearly every American, it seems that Memorial Day is just a long weekend. A day for pool parties and grilling. It seems that many Americans don’t even know what Memorial Day is supposed to be about. I realize that some people deal with pain by partaking in fun, and that many Americans don’t have lost loved ones, but I just can’t shake that if you don’t have lost loved ones, or if you deal with pain in that way, you should be thankful and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Thoughts?
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For me, Memorial Day means I get to work and make some extra money. That’s all I see and I’ve never celebrated it.
I also don’t really care how other people choose to celebrate holidays, even the ones I care about and celebrate.
I am not going to force other people into showing insincere displays of gratitude on Memorial Day. If they want to cook hotdogs and drink beer until they can’t stand that’s their right.
If people want to BBQ that’s fine. That’s probably how most vets and deceased veterans would want it. I think at most they’d ask that you take a moment and remember why we BBQ and drink beer. Then go on about your day.
We’re celebrating by living the lifestyle that those who died sacrificed their lives for, I guess.
People absolutely know what Memorial Day represents.
It isn’t disrepectful to exercise the freedoms that were protected by those who died in defense of them. An argument could be made that it is, in fact, a way of honoring them.
I don’t understand why it isn’t possible to recognize the soldiers who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice and make the most of the long weekend?
I know my relatives who’ve died in battle would not want or appreciate me sitting around being miserable and/or lecturing other people on Memorial Day. They would want us all to live the lives they’ve made possible for us. (Cheesy, I know. Couldn’t think of a better way to phrase it lol).
You can honor the fallen and still have pool parties and grill stuff. Just because they are having fun doesn’t mean they don’t recognize what the holiday is in honor of
I don’t really care what other Americans do. It doesn’t impact me and no one is getting hurt. It doesn’t effect me so….
/*shrug*
This reads as if you’re trying to guilt people. Memorial Day is a day of remembrance, but also a day of celebration. I have family that made the ultimate sacrifice so we could be where we are today. I can tell you that they probably would want people having fun rather than sitting around forcing displays of gratitude for an entire day. As such memorial day has became the de faxto start to the summer season.
>To nearly every American, it seems that Memorial Day is just a long weekend.
That’s all it is to me.
Not here, our memorial day celebrations include veterans and the guidons of the army, navy, marines and air force posted up. The VFW is big here and many times war vets will share stories on stage, i remember as a kid there was a WW2 vet that flew in a bomber squadron over Germany sharing his story and talking about the friends he lost, i will never forget it.
Everyone knows what Memorial Day is about. It’s not “just a long weekend.”
I’m not sure why we need maudlin lectures every year, as if we’re all a pack of ungrateful ignorant idiots. It’s condescending.
I don’t know why so many Americans have to treat patriotism, and respect for the military, as some sort of pissing contest.
Memorial Day weekend is also my birthday weekend most years and I’m going to spend it having fun. If other people want to sit and be reflective, they can do that. What other people choose to do for time holiday doesn’t affect me, let them do what they want to do.
> you should be thankful and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Thoughts?
Not every war is equally honorable. Being forced to fight in WW2 or Vietnam, sure, ill honor those vets, but the people that volunteer to ship out overseas for no noble reason…not worthy of my gratitude
Like what is there to be thankful about troops fucking up other countries for our own personal gain? Just serving in the military doesn’t automatically earn my respect
I have quite a few family members including my grandfathers and my father who served in the military and are dead. If you need a day of mourning today, you can take one. If it’s so difficult for you thta you “just can’t shake” or “deal with pain”, you should find someone to help you process grief. Memorializing someone can be celebrating them and what they did in their lives, not just a day of sorrow. I hope it gets better for you, however you’re processing it.
Couldn’t care less,for me it’s just a paid day off of work just like all holidays
Memorial Day has devolved from a remembrance of our war dead to yet another celebration of all things military.
It’s none of my business how anyone else spends a holiday or why.
People know what it means.
Worry more about yourself, and spend less time handwringing about how others celebrate holidays.
I love seeing people be happy and hanging out with friends and family having a good time. A few minutes reflection and then a long party to celebrate what we’ve got seems like a wonderful way to celebrate a holiday like Memorial Day.
Personally, I haven’t lost friends or family in war, meaning that there’s nothing personal about Memorial Day. But every funeral I’ve been to has involved food, drink, and celebration of life as well as mourning and tears, and those were personal and immediate for everybody present.
Because we don’t commemorate the day by wearing muted colors and talking in hushed tones?
We know what it’s about. And as someone with family members who died in wars, they’d all say the best way to honor them would be a barbecue with family.
>To nearly every American, it seems that Memorial Day is just a long weekend. A day for pool parties and grilling. It seems that many Americans don’t even know what Memorial Day is supposed to be about.
That is around 330 million people you are stereotyping there, chief.
People chose to join the military and try to go kill other people. It did not work out in their favor. It was not a sacrifice for the nation in any war we had in the oast half century. Look at the shit soliders do in war…look at the reasons we are in war.
I believe that those who died would want us to have a fun weekend in their honor. We should all remember those that made the ultimate sacrifice but also enjoy ourselves to honor them.
I’m going to honor my BIL who died in Afghanistan by grilling burgers and shooting guns off my back porch because if he was here with us today that’s what we would be doing. And I’ll be doing it guilt free.
I know a woman, Stacy, in Evergreen Park, IL who married an ex military guy. He had to leave the Navy to win his prize because she didn’t want to move around. I’ve met him, and literally no one else would want him. Verbally abusive to everyone, but especially his wife and 12 year old son. Nasty, arrogant man who wouldn’t have a pot to piss in without her and her parents bankrolling him. But he’s bitter because he thinks he could have done SO well for himself and be ready to retire now.
Yeah, I know the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day. But since this POS is dead inside, raise your glass with me today in his DIS-honor
We all know what it’s ultimately about, but it’s hard to internalize that when you have no personal loss. We feel for the people who are very much mourning loved ones today — whether those losses are 50 years or 50 days ago — but we cannot all get into that headspace.
I don’t care. It’s not a day of much significance for me either.
>you should be thankful and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice
Meh.
I believe people are overestimating how many Americans understand Memorial Day (aka Decoration Day). See [this article with survey results](https://people.com/human-interest/less-than-half-of-americans-know-true-meaning-of-memorial-day-survey-finds/) for example.
I took my kids to the pool. I grilled steaks for dinner. Later, I kicked back with a nice scotch and a good cigar remembering times and brothers elsewhere.
They died so we could live, and whine about everything.
Last night, my time was with:
William “Chief” Carlson. 25Oct2003
Earl Filmore 3Oct1993
Christopher Speer 6Aug2002.
Bob “Speedy” Horrigan, 17June2005.
For over a decade I marched in a parade, attended memorials and then immediately after had a small cookout hosted by veterans that has just been crying. The ideals of a sad memorial day and a BBQ memorial day are not mutually exclusive.
I have a few friends that passed that I served with. I pay my silent respects and enjoy my day.
I have no problems with people wanting to enjoy the long weekend, cook out, go to the lake or pool, take it as the unofficial kick-off to summer. My BILs birthday falls on Memorial Day weekend and we always have a family dinner with presents for him.
I do wish people wouldn’t set off fireworks and say things like “celebrate” Memorial Day, or wish me a “Happy Memorial Day”. It doesn’t make me ragey or anything, but it would be nice if people could have a modicum of awareness.
I have loved ones who have died in war. They would want me to have a fun break from work.
>To nearly every American, it seems that Memorial Day is just a long weekend. A day for pool parties and grilling. It seems that many Americans don’t even know what Memorial Day is supposed to be about.
First, I completely disagree with this take. It is utter horse poopie.
Second, is you expectation that all should sit somberly in their house and sulk for the weekend? I assure you those who sacrificed for the country didn’t do so so everyone would put their lives on hold for 3 days a year.
Almost everyone in my small town is wearing a paper red poppy that you get when you donate to the VFW today, so I’m pretty sure that most people where I am are perfectly aware of Memorial Day.
Am I not supposed to celebrate my birthday or wedding anniversary because both often fall on or around Memorial Day? I’m grateful to those who have sacrificed to protect the rights and freedoms that I enjoy and work to protect those rights and freedoms as best I can. I’m still going to celebrate personal holidays.
I’m annoyed that Americans think we need a different military fetishizing holiday every other month ffs.
Honor/grieve your family members however you see fit, doesn’t give you the right to tell anyone else how to spend their long weekend when we get so little vacation time as is
*shrug*
I’m not sure what you want folks to do. It’s a long weekend in a nice time of year, folks aren’t going to sit inside quietly or wander graveyards and memorials all day. It’s depressing as hell and no one has the emotional energy to spend the whole time honoring and being thankful. Even the combat vets I know spend it having a good time.