‘HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY TO ALL’?
“Unfortunately, there will be mixed Memorial Day messages. … Some will come from politicians who use Memorial Day to promote their agenda — a distraction from honoring American Patriots who have died in combat.”
On Memorial Day morning, it’s impressive to see in social media feeds the number of organizations that properly and appropriately acknowledge American Patriots who have died in the service of our country.
Occasionally, there are those whose posts were well-intentioned, but their sentiments are antithetical to the solemn and somber spirit of this day.
In an article asking “Is It Ever OK to Say ‘Happy Memorial Day’?” Newsweek notes, “Americans remain split over whether it is an appropriate phrase to use to mark the national day of remembrance.” For the record, I don’t care what some pollster reported about what some sampling of Americans thinks about this. Fact is, the only opinions that matter are those of families and friends of American Patriots who have died in combat. Newsweek concedes as if shocked, “For families who have lost loved ones, the day is a somber one and a period of reflection, not a joyous time as the sentiment may suggest.”
Speaking for all who have lost family and friends in combat, Code of Support Foundation cofounder Kristina Kaufmann told Newsweek that Memorial Day is not one of celebration, and it’s inappropriate to use “Happy Memorial Day.” She notes: “On Memorial Day and every day, I remember and thank those who made the ultimate sacrifice and their families. As a former wartime Army wife, I take the day to speak out-loud the names of the 24 service members and veterans I knew personally, who made the ultimate sacrifice. I also think of their families’ sacrifice to our nation.”
Amid a few unfitting Memorial Day posts, I came across one from a Christian influencer of national stature whose messages about being lifted out of addiction by faith I really appreciate. She posted, “Happy Memorial Day, everyone…” She appropriately followed that with, “I am so eternally thankful for the American soldiers who have laid down their lives so that we may worship freely, as we choose.”
She does not have a military background for context, so I let the “soldiers” reference pass because many use that collectively to include all military personnel, not understanding that Marines, Sailors, and Airmen are not “soldiers.” But I did take a minute to kindly respond under her post: “For your consideration, ‘Happy’ is not a word those who have lost family and friends in combat associate with Memorial Day. Perhaps something like, ‘On this Memorial Day, with a heart of gratitude for…’”
That response was immediately affirmed by Gold Star families who follow this influencer.
I hope she got the message. Memorial Day is not Valentine’s Day — those we honor will never get another Happy Valentine’s Day with those they loved.
Then, at noon, as I was making my annual Memorial Day circuit around our community to return flags to full staff after having lowered them before dawn, I was advised by my friend Cal Thomas of another unfortunate use of “Happy Memorial Day.” Cal qualified this case as “Disgusting, disgraceful and dishonoring on a day set aside each year to honor America’s war dead,” adding that this post was from a man who got four student deferments and one medical disqualification to avoid military service during the Vietnam War.
UH-OH — yeah, he was referring to Donald Trump.
You know, we have heard from well-placed White House advisers that Patriot Post analysis is cited among reputable open-source media in the morning briefing provided to the president and senior cabinet officials. But apparently they missed our “Memorial Day Profiles of Valor,” in which I noted: “Memorial Day, as detailed on our tribute page, is reserved to honor American Patriots in uniform who have given their lives in the services of our nation — those who died in combat defending their brothers in arms to sustain the Liberty we enjoy.”
I noted further: “Unfortunately, there will be mixed Memorial Day messages, and we should call them what they are. Some will come from politicians who use Memorial Day to promote their agenda — a distraction from honoring American Patriots who have died in combat.”
Sadly, President Trump issued a post on his social media platform, using Memorial Day as an opportunity to deride those who oppose his political agenda.
Now, while I think Trump beginning his post with “HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY TO ALL” was deeply offensive, for the reasons outlined above, I was not as offended as Cal about the rest of the post. Fact is, what Trump was saying in “Trumpese” is that hundreds of thousands of Americans have died for a nation that Joe Biden and his leftist cadres spent the last four years tearing down. What Trump and his coms team neglect to remember is that a large swath of Americans, and none of the Leftmedia talkingheads and scribes, speak Trumpese.
No question that Trump and SecDef Pete Hegseth, to their great credit, have already made enormous strides to restore military morale, and have equally ambitious plans to restore America’s military superpower status. Unfortunately, Trump has not completely dispensed with his propensity for unforced errors, comments that distract from and undermine his agenda.
Trump declared in all caps:
HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY TO ALL, INCLUDING THE SCUM THAT SPENT THE LAST FOUR YEARS TRYING TO DESTROY OUR COUNTRY THROUGH WARPED RADICAL LEFT MINDS, WHO ALLOWED 21,000,000 MILLION PEOPLE TO ILLEGALLY ENTER OUR COUNTRY, MANY OF THEM BEING CRIMINALS AND THE MENTALLY INSANE, THROUGH AN OPEN BORDER THAT ONLY AN INCOMPETENT PRESIDENT WOULD APPROVE, AND THROUGH JUDGES WHO ARE ON A MISSION TO KEEP MURDERERS, DRUG DEALERS, RAPISTS, GANG MEMBERS, AND RELEASED PRISONERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, IN OUR COUNTRY SO THEY CAN ROB, MURDER, AND RAPE AGAIN — ALL PROTECTED BY THESE USA HATING JUDGES WHO SUFFER FROM AN IDEOLOGY THAT IS SICK, AND VERY DANGEROUS FOR OUR COUNTRY. HOPEFULLY THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT, AND OTHER GOOD AND COMPASSIONATE JUDGES THROUGHOUT THE LAND, WILL SAVE US FROM THE DECISIONS OF THE MONSTERS WHO WANT OUR COUNTRY TO GO TO HELL. BUT FEAR NOT, WE HAVE MADE GREAT PROGRESS OVER THE LAST 4 MONTHS, AND AMERICA WILL SOON BE SAFE AND GREAT AGAIN! AGAIN, HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY, AND GOD BLESS AMERICA!
The post was fine — except for the salutation. And that is a BIG exception.
In a conversation over the weekend, I mentioned to a politically centrist friend that Trump was acting much more presidential in his second term, particularly having moderated his petulant social media posts. Yes, I have already eaten those words.
Finally, one other thing I noted in my Memorial Day column: “The most offensive of mixed Memorial Day messages will be the saturation of consumers with ‘Memorial Day Sales,’ disgracefully using the blood of our nation’s Patriots as fodder for profiteering.” Fact is, as I first wrote years ago, “Memorial Day Is NOT on Sale.” More than 1.3 million American Patriots have already paid the full price.
To that end, the first and loudest source I found condemning Trump’s “Happy Memorial Day” post was the leftist rag USA Today, and when I linked to the article, I was immediately assaulted by a “Memorial Day Sale” pop-up ad promoting a reduced fee to subscribe to their claptrap.
Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis
Pro Deo et Libertate — 1776
