I swear to god, sometimes I think people start wars just to get a holiday. I wrote this post a couple years back. It’s about Memorial Day, but I feel the same about Veteran’s Day, tomorrow:
——
You’ve all heard them – the suggestions that September 11th be recognized by making it a national holiday. I vehemently disagree with those suggestions. This weekend, 35 million Americans took to the Interstates to go camping, visit relatives, go to Disney World, and more. The airwaves are inundated with Memorial Day sales. Sales. That’s how we celebrate Memorial Day in this country. Yesterday, while shopping for groceries, I said “Have a great Memorial Day!” to the cashier as I left.
“Have a great Memorial Day!”
Think about that. We’ve turned a holiday dedicated to soldiers who’ve given their lives for freedom into a shopping holiday. Same in Canada. Our Memorial Day – our Rememberance/Armistice Day – is November 11th. We commemorate that day with days at the beach, camping, vacations, and – yes – SALES SALES SALES. It really is quite obscene.
Every year it gets worse. Every year, more of the people who took the holiday seriously die off. Every year, we feel less guilty about not celebrating the holiday as intended. Every year, more of the men and women who fought for our freedom vanish into thin air. We no longer have the guilt of having to look someone in the eye and explain why we were at the beach when others were at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Every year, we forget a little more.
Yes, today I will be helping organize a yard sale and barbecue. But I take comfort in the fact that at least I know what today is about, and I will remember. You’ve read in this weblog about my respect for the soldiers fighting abroad. I would like to be at the Memorial Day parade today. Since I’ve been in Atlanta, I’ve gone a couple times. When I was living in Canada, I’d go every November 11th.
But I’ve heard enough “Happy Memorial Days” and “Happy Rememberance Days”
I never – not EVER – want someone to come up to me and say “Happy September 11th!”
When someone says that to you, you know the holiday is meaningless. And you know it’s going to happen. It happens every time.
——-
Tomorrow, I am going to post my thoughts on Veteran’s/Rememberance Day. And then I am going to the parade to watch as the men and women (who are left) march with honour – unfortunately, alongside political candidates and businesses.
Update: The Grand Marshall at tomorrow’s parade in Atlanta is Lt. Gen. Russel “Stuck on Stupid” Honore. I love this guy!
Update II: Don’t forget to donate to Project Valor-IT.
Psycheout
Since when have liberals ever taken Memorial Day seriously anyway?
Psycheout
Or Veterans Day.
Psycheout
Or September the 11th.
Michael D.
Psycheout: Fuck you. I don’t use the word c**t very often. But you are it. And you are everything that is wrong with this country. Enjoy your sales this weekend.
Cinderella Ferret
Psycheout is probably deep in prayer with Pat Robertson asking his god to forgive us for our errant ways. What, with all the homosexuals, abortions and general sinfulness in America, we may be punished by his god in a new 9/11 style attack. How are things over at Westboro?
See Michael D, the wingnuts never disappoint.
zzyzx
No one would ever say “Happy September 11th” because it’s not a day off of work. When the meaning is lost, it’ll just be another day.
Michael D.
If I could ban people here, I would ban this c**t. I fucking hate him.
John Cole
Why do you hate America?
Michael D.
John: I know you’re kidding. I hope so.
ThymeZone
Fine holiday idea, 9-11, if they call it “Okay, You Covered Your Ass Day.”
So that people never forget how that lying drunken little prick brushed off the warning of the attack.
Yeah, I’d go shopping every year on that day if they called it that.
ThymeZone
You might want to take some time to learn your audience, Michael. Quite a large number of people spoof here.
Take a deep breath, dude. This crowd hasn’t even warmed up on you yet.
Hell, I have wounds that haven’t closed in two years, and those are from the people I mostly agree with.
Dennis-SGMM
Well, Psycheout, tomorrow I’ll raise a glass to my brothers in arms, with whom I served in the Mekong Delta. On November 11th, 1971, I was serving at NSAD Binh Thuy beside the Bassac River which is the southernmost mouth of the Mekong. I volunteered to serve in-country RVN.
I was there because my family has an unbroken tradition of service that reaches back to Concord Bridge. Although we are mostly liberal, we still subscribe to the quaint idea that service to our nation is the duty of a citizen.
Can you, or any of your other cocksucking fellow-travelers say the same?
Davis X. Machina
It’s curious how the only acceptable way to commemorate the nation’s fallen is to lobby for a guarantee that their number keeps increasing.
You’d think the VFW, for example, would be in the business of putting themselves out of business.
Dennis-SGMM
My apologies if my post was badly aimed. This just touches a nerve in me.
ThymeZone
Isn’t that the band I saw on Austin City Limits the other night?
STEVEinSC
I think they should take the X out of Xmas and the commerce out of holidays. How? Just kill the holiday itself (over the howls of the merchants) and give people an excuse for a an hour or so of time off to go to a remembrance service and then back to work. If you don’t want to go that’s up to you. You’ll need a receipt that you went though.
STEVEinSC
By the way have a Happy Thanksgiving.
demimondian
Pyscheout is pretty vile, isn’t he, eh, Michael? I think that John finds him funny, and so puts up with him. Unlike Other Commenters Whose Names I Decline To Utter, I remain able to ignore him. I recommend you do so, as well.
Psycheout
So much for free speech, Mikey. Liberals are fascists, part MCMXVII.
Psycheout
Among many other brave American heroes, I will be thinking of Dennis-SGMM tomorrow.
crayz
I’ve always thought Psycheout was a parody. “Conservatives” in this country have gone so far off the deep-end it’s getting hard for the normals to tell the difference these days though
JWW
Michael D
I would suppose, that your first printing of this story failed you. Don’t worry, Canada is safe because we no longer have a need for pelts. We have these days for a reason, remeberance. How business decides to treat them, doesn’t matter. As for HAPPY 9/11, it was spokan by a fine liberal this year on public radio, by “James Brolin”, on 9/11. You seem like just the kind of ass I would expect here. Difference is, you have nothing to win or lose. You are an outsider, can’t carry your own weight, give orders yet grovel for exceptance.
Delia
You’re telling me that Canadians are just as stupid and crass as we are down south?
My illusions are shattered. I have nowhere left to run. Where am I going to go now when the Thought Police come gunning for me if Canada is as crappy as we are?
AnonE.Mouse
So,the beaches up there pretty crowded on November 11?
Ted
Psycheout, and its blog, is a parody. Granted, the deepest, most buried parody to date, but a parody nonetheless. You can’t believe someone who doesn’t think the Earth revolves around the Sun is actually genuine. Although I’m sure the Brownback campaign appreciated the “support”, Psycheout’s schtick makes the NASA-Faked-The-Moon-Landing nutcases seem like Carl Sagan in comparison.
And Psycheout, when are you going to drop this act? We get that you are a very well-done parody, but it has long since gotten old and no longer entertaining. In fact, it’s just tedious now. If you never drop your act, you’ll never be truly recognized for the parodic talent that you are, and instead will be remembered by most people as just someone who thinks the Sun goes around the Earth.
srv
How is it that Micheal D claims to have been here longer than any of us?
PaulW
I’ve got a wonderful non-partisan solution to all this: let’s make every day a holiday! That way, all the civil service workers won’t work, the schools will stay closed, the banks won’t open, the stores will sell everything 25 percent off, and we’ll all just end up getting drunk on the beaches like our patriotic soldiers want us to. ;-)
PaulW
btw, we need a football thread. I just heard the funniest thing just now on the UF/South Carolina football game by the ESPN commentators: “Can’t wait for next week: Notre Dame vs. Duke!” bwhahahahahaaaa!
Psycheout
When liberals drop theirs.
Your tears are tedious. I hardly ever comment here, so your protestations are ridiculous hyperbole. Why do liberals find reality so hard to grasp? Oh yeah, they are ‘reality based.’
Ted
“Tears”? O..K..
Well, actually in recent weeks, despite your faulty memory, you’ve commented here quite a few times.
But could you please explain to us why you think the Sun goes around the Earth? Without quoting bibble verses?
ThymeZone
But, of course, someone who thinks the earth is 6000 years old can run for president and be taken seriously.
Or, if you prefer, someone who solicits votes from people who think the earth is 6000 years old can be taken seriously.
In the words of Lewis Black: “FOSSIL!”
JWW
Did you know George S Patton’s birthday was today. I don’t have any special plans for it. But he may be just one simple reason that such day’s are remembered, along with all who walked in his shoes before and after. Pity though, you have to do your best in mocking and degrading what made this nation great. In time, keeping up with your current thought process, foul mouths, single parent children, you may succeed in her destruction.
ThymeZone
Oh, you think this is an act? An act?
Let me be clear: We’re better than you.
Get over it.
JWW
ThymeZone,
25 or so years ago, my very liberal brother in-law asked me, why are you in the Infantry “your better than that”? We were, at the time both active Army, but my wanting to be and loving the Infantry was beyond his ability to comprehend. I have never forgotten that statement.
John Cole
1.) Deciding to not listen to your dribble anymore and banning you would no more be considered a free speech issue than it would if I kicked your silly ass out of my living room. Think of it as housecleaning.
2.) Even then, we haven’t banned you, as can be witnessed by your multiple comments.
Carry on trolling.
ThymeZone
I have no idea what loving the infantry has to do with being better than Psycheout. Personally I think every person who puts on a uniform for this country is a hero and should be treated accordingly.
Psycheout, on the other hand, is a whole nother thing.
JWW
Hey John,
See you have some fresh meat on board. May I speak at will or will I be banned. So far, I do say he is a loud mouth and ever so eager too step fresh dog shit even when he knows where it is. Thats okay, but he really know’s nothing of beer.
jake
[Cough] Everyone?
ThymeZone
Heh. Well, first, yes, until they do something that makes me question their service.
Second, the person you linked to never fulfilled the terms of his agreement to serve, did he? So I think the point is moot in his case.
I think he got an honorable discharge because of who he was, not for what he did. But hey, what do I know?
Ted
This is truly wonderful material.
…wow. This is MEGA-wingnut. Like, several orders of magnitude above and beyond the typical example.
If it’s spoof, it’s Di Vinci.
JWW
ThymeZone,
It was “Let me be clear: We’re better than you”.
As I read it, I concluded, Liberals were better than everyone else!
And Jake,
No great love for GB, but he didn’t leave the country too avoid serving something.
ThymeZone
Well, not everyone else :) Just certain rightwing nutcases who think the earth is 6000 years old.
jake
[Ahem]
ThymeZone
Is that McVeigh?
Interesting case. In his situation, I’d say that it’s arguable he went insane after his service.
I don’t know much about his actual service, if that is him.
Andrew
I hear RedState needs some new writers.
JWW
Ted or anyone,
If I happen to disagree with a current point of view, does that make me a wing-nut? I’m quite sure we have more in common than we have in opposition. It just happens that this blog has only one point of view, posts one point of view. I don’t care for college football, therefore I do not respond. I do brew my own beer, have done so for 20 years, maybe I will be allowed too speak. So if I must be addressed as a wing-nut, I will continue act as on. That makes it easy.
PaulW
Isn’t this interesting how this conversation turned into a “Hate Somebody/Hates Libruls/Just Waiting For Someone To Mention the H-tl-r Word” kind of thread? We don’t even have to invoke Godwin’s Law anymore: EVERY conversation starts off like this and goes nowhere… our national dialogue is being intentionally polluted by those who don’t want calm conversations, genuine issue resolution. Just immediately insult somebody or some group (LIBRULS! BOO!) and let the discussion dissolve into “you’re an idiot/shut up” spatfest.
It’d be nice to ignore the SOB. But ignoring translates into acquissence (sp?), and we’re forced to answer. And everything fall apart.
ImJohnGalt
Um…look, I’m not trying to be contentious here, but when was the last time you were in Canada on Nov. 11th?
a) Nobody is going to the beach in November.
b) It isn’t a holiday for anyone but government workers and it’s fucking cold everywhere north of, uh…Illinois, so damned few people are going camping.
c) Remembrance Day sales? Really? I live in the largest city in Canada, and have yet to see anyone advertising a Remembrance Day sale.
I did, however, go to a Toronto Maple Leafs game tonight and saw a really touching reading of “In Flanders Fields” by a veteran, and the entire arena give him a standing ovation.
The entire stadium also observed a moment of silence in respect of those veterans that were in attendance, and a currently serving corporal in the Canadian Army sang one of the best renditions I can remember of both the US and Canadian anthems.
There are ceremonies all over Toronto this weekend in observance of the specific meaning of this day.
Seriously, I have no idea what you’re talking about. Do you?
Phillip J. Birmingham
Yeah, Michael — one of the DUMBEST things I’ve said recently was “Happy Memorial Day” to my seventy-something backdoor neighbor. I immediately felt foolish.
Then I nearly killed him with a tree, but that’s another story.
CDB
I can’t stand veterans. Their parades a nothing but a congestestion issue and the sales just amplify the problem. We should find a way to resolve the whole thing, I vote for no more veterans.
canuckistani
ImJohnGalt summed it up pretty well for Remembrance Day in Canada. We get two minutes of silence at the office to remember the veterans, and red poppies to wear that always fall out because the pins are straight.
Actually, going to a Toronto beach in November would be a good Remembrance Day activity. It’s about as bleak and melancholy as it can get.
CDB
Truth only has one point of view. The rest are just attempts to reach it.
JWW
Does anyone,
Remember when May Day was celebrated in this country? Never, a fereral holiday, but it was a festive day. We once had Christmas, it will soon be gone. We once celebrated Washingtons birthday, it’s past us by. Good Friday, is now near extinction. Thanksgiving, well it may survive, good food, good beer and the only saving grace will be the football games. MLK birthday, an appeasement, though he was a great man, we have many others before him too celebrate. We have lost our history to text only, not too teaching our children. I would wager that less than 50% of our children could recite the National Anthem.
CDB
I’d rather they could recite the Bill of Rights.
CDB
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
Fraud Guy
I hate to tell everyone this, but September 11th is already a national holiday: Patriot Day.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/09/20070904-6.html
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/09/20060907-7.html
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/09/20050909-12.html
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/09/20040910-19.html
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/09/20030904-7.html
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/09/20020904-10.html
Of course, we are supposed to fight for our freedoms by shopping, so the argument against making it a holiday marked by a day off for sales may be moot.
RSA
I know the first verse of the Star Spangled Banner, but that’s it. And I’m not unusual in not being able to sing it. Give us an anthem in which everyone can hit every note. (And better lyrics, to be honest. Who starts a poem with “O say. . .”?)
incontrolados
Local news:
“Happy Veterans Day!”
“And Happy Veterans Day to You!”
About that Patriot Day thing — on September 11th this year a wingnut I work with asked me why the flags at my state university were at half mast. I told him.
I also noticed that bloggy wingnut for the most part recycled their posts.
I guess it’s HARD to keep up the fury.
JWW
To All
I did’t forget about Easter, just a good thing it is always falls on a Sunday. Memorial Day, well I was born on that day. All of the town members would meet at the Common, chat, shake hands, pray, and watch the parade of rememberance. I haven’t been home for that celebration, for some 30 yrs. It still takes place, those who served in Vietnam are few those from WWII are fewer, those who served or are serving in the current battles are honored and they honor the past and present. It is not just a military member holiday. It is for all, for all to look back, take in, and understand what it means and how our freedom was obtained and continue’s. It is a holiday, we may not say Happy Memorial Day, but it is a holiday. 12/7 and 9/11 are not holidays, they are remembered for reasons beyond cursedness. They are remembered for the loss of our citizens our soldiers.
CDB
honoring who fought is easy, it’s the Why that gets harder.
incontrolados
JWW — I have been accusted of not being properly patriotic because on the 4th of July, most of my neighbors try to torch the entire neighborhood. My critics ignore the fact that I don’t like New Year’s or Christmas Eve. Hell, even my goddaughter thinks Santa Claus is a mean old man.
Why does everything turn into a sales point?
Same reason everything can’t be run like a business. In business, there can be losers. Those losers can get back up and try again. In other areas, not so much.
incontrolados
Dude, it changes every year. How could you be born on it, except for that one year?
JWW
RSA,
I didn’t ask you too sing in tune. Point, most can’t sing the word’s as the music is played, with vocals included. But I would think, if you were too work it out, alone, you should have the ability to come close.
Jess
Perhaps those who are determined to politicize the event can first google “who served” and do a bit of research.
There are people on both the left and the right who have attacked soldiers and veterans because they (the attackers) disagreed with them (the soldiers) politically. But I’m pretty sure that most of the attackers in elected positions or in the media have been attacking from the right.
JWW
CBD,
You are just the type of ass we don’t need. You have no honor, no loyalty, no integrity. You see yourself as elite, talk, dine, converse as such. If you should ever find yourself in need, you would beg before lifting a hand too help yourself.
Why? “honoring who fought is easy, it’s the Why that gets harder”
You and your infinate wisdom answer this, why was any war that this nation ever fought? Who do you claim is to be honored? Is there ever a reason for war? Can you foot the bill?
CDB
What happened to the great melting pot? Elitist? Perhaps you should find a mirror.
CDB
Depends on the war, all who fought in it, yes, I pay my taxes.
JWW
To all,
I just leaned back, closed my eyes, recited the National Anthem, God bless America, My Country Tis Of The, The Pledge of Allegiance, and The Lords Prayer without second thought. I don’t think it should be some major task too teach our children the same. I don’t see where pride in your nation should be an issue or shameful.
CDB
Irony is not lost on you.
A.Political
Speak for yourself, tomorrow I observe the moment of silence and am thankful for the sacrifice made…just like when I feel like voting might be too much trouble b/c I’m busy or late at work (even for a municipal election), people gave their lives for my ability to have that vote, I fu&*in go vote regardless and I don’t look fwd to Nov 11 b/c it’s a holiday.
Anne Laurie
Abigal Adams was born on November 11, and Kurt Vonnegut, and Dosteyevsky, as well as George Patton. (Kind of a common emotional theme there: grandious, and yet deeply unconvinced of the general goodness of humanity.) Maybe we should move Election Day to November 11, or move Veterans Day to coincide with the annual elections, on the grounds that the sacrifices of our veterans have enabled most Americans to treat voting as a optional event.
As for the current administration’s spurious “Patriots Day”, those of us in New England know that Patriots Day has always been celebrated in April, to commemorate the Minutemen’s guerrilla assaults on properly constituted civil authority at Lexington and Concord.
ThymeZone
Ok, which one of you is writing this JWW shit?
It was funny for a while, but now it has lost its fizz.
Bring back Birdzilla.
Pb
Man, what is with this “Michael D.” character–he posts some inflammatory garbage early in the thread (the sort of thing that at least one poster literally got banned for saying in the past, FYI), and then he just disappears. Let’s hear it for the absentee crybaby.
Beej
The Star-Spangled Banner is incredibly difficult to sing (the range is ridiculous). The tune is an old drinking song. It’s based on an obscure battle in an almost forgotten war. And it’s the perfect national anthem for this country. That first verse, the one most of us know, is all questions, ever noticed that? How would you answer those questions today? Somehow, I think that those questions are just completely what this country is about. Does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
mightygodking
I have to second this. I have never in my entire life heard of a “Remembrance Day Sale,” or heard anybody say “Happy Remembrance Day.” The day has always been treated very respectfully.
Lit3Bolt
Ok, I am asking a seroious question, and I want a serious answer, and not bullshit from the typical message board wits. (I’m sure the algonquin round table is SO impressed by your jibes. Please, spare me your witticisms, my ego is fragile and I cannot take your rapier sharp satire.)
There.
Now, a serious question. Why isn’t Election Day a holiday? What reason on god’s green earth do people have in making voting inconvenient? Why isn’t Election Day a federal holiday where everyone, except perhaps hospital workers and such, can have an equal opportunity to vote? Am I missing something here? Is this some long dead opposition to the working man still dwelling in the belly of American politics? Why can’t people have the day off to vote and do their democratic duty? We can have bullshit holidays for dead people we never knew, but having an acutal USE for a holiday, OMFG that would be too much.
CDB
JWW,
I wish that war away just about every day.
CDB
‘We’ seems to be an decreasing demographic.
Cain
How many know how to fold the flag? When I was in grade school I used to raise/lower/fold the flag everyday as a responsibility. Although I’ll admit to not completely knowing now. But the star field needs to be showing on top is what I remember.
I’m not sure about other school, but it’s the one thing I remember a lot when I was in grade school. It’s a wonderful responsibility for someone that age IMHO and really indoctrinates you in having great pride in the symbol of your country. So, it pisses me off when I see a flag that’s all torn up and dirty flying in the wind. No respect. Even the guy whose burning a flag understand it’s value more than the moron flying his flag and not replacing when it’s damaged.
I seem to have meandered off the golf course.. oops.
cain
srv
Those making the decisions have long realized that shopping is more important than endangering The Republic with too much thinking.
In TX there was a popular post-911 bumber sticker. “These Colors Don’t Run”.
But they sure as hell faded.
bago
I will be giving my brother a call. During the whole WP fiasco I was working at getty images, and on the wall was a picture of marines running through clouds of WP that was on the front page of the NYT. As I dug through the archives I had found that the photographer had been embedded in my brothers unit, and had snapped some quality pics of him. Of course this was when I was still getting over my brush with the national news after some twat blew away a bunch of my friends after a zombie party. Nothing like reading CNN in amsterdam seeing the very porch I was on 24 hours earlier covered in my friends blood. And that’s nothing compared to the crap my brother went through. Although I’ll be working all day, respect.
Also, curses to the people that get good people killed.
bago
And when your flag stands for torture, do you really want to learn how to fold it?
Ted
This is Grade A Wingnut. I’m truly impressed.
sal
I think this was mentioned above, but who in Canada goes to the beach in November? I live in northern Michigan on Lake Michigan, and it’s November, and no one’s at the beaches.
But, maybe there’s a temperate part of Canada I don’t know of. Heck, Scotland has palm trees. http://www.scotland-inverness.co.uk/arran.htm
Sorry, don’t know how to embed links.
Yes, I know this doesn’t address Michael’s point. He has a valid argument, but it’s like getting angry at the weather. Not much you can do about it.
Michael D.
Apologies for:
– Dropping the “c-word:
– Not realizing PsycheOut is a spoof
– Saying Canadians spend Rememberance Day at the beach. I was writing about Canada, but thinking about Memorial Day. In Canada, people take the weekend to go on camping trips, skiing, or snowmobiling.
RSA
I believe it is a holiday in some states, and there has been Democratic legislation to make it a federal holiday. It seems a no-brainer to me, but I’ve heard a few arguments against it. First, that it won’t actually encourage more people to vote; they’ll use the day off as a personal holiday. This strikes me as being irrelevant. Like accessibility for the handicapped, the point is giving everyone equal opportunity, not whether it will definitely be used it or not. Second, that the economic cost would be too high. Boo-fucking-hoo. Third, that there are alternatives: early voting, voting by mail, and so forth. This last is reasonable but not yet entirely convincing. Do the alternatives really provide equal access?
There’s also the cynical argument that it’s to the advantage of one party in our current system when as few people vote as possible. We all know which party that is.
ImJohnGalt
Actually, it seems you were trying to say Canada has commercialized Remembrance Day as much as the US – it was the major point of your frickin’ paragraph!
“We” have done no such thing here in Canada. I defy you to find me a “Remembrance Day Sale” up here. Also, as I pointed out earlier, It is *not* a long weekend up here except for a few civil servants. Aside from the *many* commemorative ceremonies around the country, people will do what they normally do on a weekend, which will only include skiing or snowmobiling if you live pretty far north.
Way to perpetuate the ridiculous notion that we live in igloos all winter. It’s 50 degrees and slightly overcast today in Toronto and about the same in Calgary and Vancouver. Montreal and the east coast have an unusual cold front right now, but are also nowhere near covered in snow. In fact, in most of the country it is perfect weather for Remembrance Day ceremonies [yes, I realize that is from last year, but it’ll be the same this year].
I’m with Pb. You write something ridiculously inflammatory in your major post. Mistakes are pointed out, and when you finally *do* deign to respond, you pick the least contentious part of your post (“Oh, I didn’t mean to say Canadians go the beach”) to address, rather than the most ridiculous one (namely, that we’ve commercialized Remembrance Day in Canada *AT ALL*).
If you want to make a point about America’s ability to turn anything into a consumer opportunity, fine. That’ll be a rousingly good discussion in itself. But don’t try to soften the blow by making up shit about the country in which you no longer live.
ImJohnGalt
Although I’ll give you serious points for being able to write this with a straight face:
IanY77
A sign at my local Beer Store: In “honour” (Canadian Beer Store) of Memorial Day, we will be opening at 12:30″ (instead of 10 AM). Disgusting.
IanY77
Correction:
A sign at my local Beer Store: In “honour” (Canadian Beer Store) of
Memorial DayRemembrance Day, we will be opening at 12:30” (instead of 10 AM). Disgusting.I’m a bad hoser.
ImJohnGalt
IanY77: It said “Memorial Day”? Weird. That’s a US Holiday.
[Although in Newfoundland/Labradour, apparently they call Canada Day “Memorial Day”].
I’m not so sure why you find that “disgusting”. It is *not* a statutory holiday in Canada. The ceremonies are all starting right about now (I’m on my way out the door), so it affords their employees an opportunity to attend.
Why “disgusting”?
ImJohnGalt
Whoops. Simultaneous post. Outta here until later.
Mary
“The weekend”? November 11 is always honoured on November 11. It just happens to be on a weekend this year. Maybe a subset of the subset of the population that gets November 12 off as a lieu day may have some sort of long weekend plans, but it’s certainly not universal.
If there’s any criticism to be made about Canadian commemoration of Remembrance Day, it would be, perhaps, that fewer and fewer people know about Canada’s war history, or attend ceremonies, or wear poppies, or honour the 11 AM silence, or show any gratitude to veterans at all. You can fairly debate the extent of this attitude. But it is beyond silly to claim that Remembrance Day has become yet another excuse for sales, shopping and wanton merriment. Sheesh.
The Other Steve
It’s fascinating to see someone lament about holidays saying that their only saving grace is the football games.
When it is the football games(and other rank commercialism) that destroyed the holidays.
Mike
How many people know when it’s appropriate to burn a flag?
BJ
Michael D.
The US Memorial Day on the last Monday in May happens to coincide with Canada’s Victoria Day holiday, which is an actual holiday to celebrate by going out to the beach and what not. Might be part of your confusion.
ImJohnGalt
Remembrance Day is an official stat holiday for everyone outside of Ontario and, (I think), Quebec, not just a government holiday. I will second that I have never heard anyone, ever, wish somebody a “Happy Remembrance Day”.
capelza
November 10th…big holiday in this household…the birthday of the Marine Corp. You haven’t lived till you’ve seen my husband singing the Marine Corp Hymn dancing on top of the coffee table. Though his favourite is “You’re a Grand Old Flag”…
November 11th…a day for thanking soldiers, remembering ones lost. The quiet may be partially because of the hangover from the day before, though, and not somber relfection.
That it is yet another reason to hold a sale is just foul.
As for Christmas…we dropped out years ago, not because of any “liberal War on Christmas”, but from the disgust of the months long commericialisation of it.
capelza
I do think that Election Day should be a holiday. What’s more important in this nation than honouring the basic rights we have..especially the right to vote? Focus on it, glorify it, don’t make it a chore.
Though I live in Oregon, we’ve been vote by mail for years…but still…
TrishB
I like the idea of Election Day as a holiday, but I don’t see it working. For those of us who work in an office or plant, great, they’ll be closed that day. I don’t see Taco Bell or convenience stores closing for the day. Hell, even if they did, for the workers it’d just be another day off without pay.
RSA
You don’t live in Las Vegas by any chance, do you?
Andrew
I just did the same with Britney’s new hit single and some old Justin Timberlake.
Randolph Fritz
“We’re not making a sacrifice.
Jesus, you’ve seen this war.
We are the sacrifice.”
“Since when have liberals ever taken Memorial Day seriously anyway?“
Cain
I didn’t read the link, but if you drop the flag you have to dispose of it. It can never touch the ground. Disposing is always burning becuase after all you don’t want to see the symbol of your country lying among the garbage do ya? :-)
As for symbol of torture, feel free to spit on the flag or rend it or whatever you want. I would rather I make sure I put someone in charge who will bring back honor to the flag.
cain
George B.
In all fairness to Psycheout, Sisyphus wrote the Heliocentrism post. He shouldn’t have to defend that any more than Tim F. should have to defend John Cole’s voting record.
raygun
I’d also point out that Victoria Day is the weekend *before* Memorial Day, and isn’t about soldiers at all.
Krista
Michael’s not totally off-base about Remembrance Day here in Canada. I’m sure it depends on where you live, but out here, everything used to be closed that day. It was an actual statutory holiday, and the stores were closed. But the last few years, it does seem as though more and more shopkeepers have their doors open that day. That may just be that I’m noticing it more, though, so I can’t really say for sure. All I know is that I go to the ceremony every year — it’s the least I can do.
canuckistani
Happy Remembrance Day!
Dave Ruddell
Just chiming in to join my fellow Canadians in piling on the Remembrance Day comments. Certainly in Toronto the holiday is not commercialized in any way. I was horrified to see department stores having sales my first November 11 that I lived in North Carolina. Can you imagine The Bay trying something like that? They’d be boycotted into bankruptcy.
I always found it odd that the USA with a far higher rate of men and women in uniform wouldn’t treat Memorial Day and Veterans Day in a more solemn fashion.
HyperIon
i don’t know what percentage of the canadian population is in the military, but in the us it is less than 1%. besides here is the land of the free (market), everything (and i mean EVERYTHING) is looked on as an opportunity to make money. to fail to capitalize on it would be unamerican.
ImJohnGalt
Krista: Point taken. But staying open on Remembrance day doesn’t exactly scream of crass commercialism the same way that “MEMORIAL DAY SALE” does. It’s never been a stat holiday here in Ontario (but for gummint workers), but it’s also never been commercialized.
canuckistani
The History Channel (Canada) shows war movies interspersed with interviews with veterans all week. Does that count as commercialization? I think it does, but in a subtler way than a parking lot full of flag-bedecked SUV’s.
ImJohnGalt
Or 50% off a DVD player.