Happy Memorial Day
- Thread starter Knight
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billthetruth
Well-known member
Silly Donovan
Well-known member
Happy Memorial Day is a poor choice of words as any Gold Star family will attest to. While your post was thoughtful and well meaning, Memorial Day is anything but a “happy” day and could be expressed differently.
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As was your post. If you felt so strongly why didn’t you send Knight, one of the finest people on this site, a pm expressing your displeasure.
Silly Donovan
Well-known member
Well, I felt that everyone should be aware that this was a poor choice of words since there were so many thank yous to his post. My issue was with the term “happy” not with Knight and in no way condemned him. I even mentioned how his post was thoughtful and well meaning.
As one who lost his uncle on the sands of Iwo Jima, and having met several Gold Star families from his loss, I am well aware of how they feel when people say “Happy” and I thought the posters should be aware.
The only poor post here was yours for calling me out unnecessarily.
Well if he got so many thank yous as you pointed out to his post, and you are the only one who felt offended, i stand by what i wrote.
Silly Donovan
Well-known member
Not surprising, hopefully my message got through to those with an open mind and who are considerate of the feelings of others.
My father, a Navy veteran who served both at the D-Day invasion and the battle of Okinawa and passed five years ago thought “Happy” was very appropriate for Memorial Day for the simple reason that he felt the people he served with who paid the ultimate sacrifice would want it that way.
Not saying at all he was right and others are wrong, just that IMO both views are rightfully valid and should be respected.
I posted this before but the below documentary of the war and my father’s war experiences was made by my nephew from about a 4 hour sit down he had with his PopPop about a year before his death.
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Silly Donovan
Well-known member
I can certainly respect what you are saying and of course your dad’s feeling on that. However general etiquette discourages people from saying Happy Memorial Day. Below is a standing policy of the Wounded Warriors Project.
Memorial Day honors military members who died in service, and the Wounded Warrior Project encourages wishing people a “meaningful Memorial Day” rather than a “happy Memorial Day” in recognition of the solemnity of the occasion.
Of course it’s a free country and people can say what ever they want and certainly your dad earned the right to do so. However I’ve also been around many who lost loved ones and find the “happy” statement highly inappropriate to hurtful. While the Holliday represents fun and barbecues for many for others it is a painful reminder of those who were lost.
PS….. great video
Understand the position, I was merely offering my Dad’s perspective.I can certainly respect what you are saying and of course your dad’s feeling on that. However general etiquette discourages people from saying Happy Memorial Day. Below is a standing policy of the Wounded Warriors Project.
Memorial Day honors military members who died in service, and the Wounded Warrior Project encourages wishing people a “meaningful Memorial Day” rather than a “happy Memorial Day” in recognition of the solemnity of the occasion.
Of course it’s a free country and people can say what ever they want and certainly your dad earned the right to do so. However I’ve also been around many who lost loved ones and find the “happy” statement highly inappropriate to hurtful. While the Holliday represents fun and barbecues for many for others it is a painful reminder of those who were lost.
PS….. great video
Very familiar with the Wounded Warrior Project, I actually “partnered” with them to convince the defense company I worked for to allow us to train service dogs in the building I managed. They were instrumental in getting us over the top and helped offset a significant amount of the training cost for how the employees could and could not interact with the dogs and their handlers. I am aware and respect the phrasing they encourage but also see the other side. I think most people, at least the people in my life, are well aware of the reason and solemnity behind the day.
Thanks for the kind comment on the video. My nephew wanted to get the war experience that was such an influential part of the rest of his grandfather’s life on tape before he passed and eventually it turned into the documentary.
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