Memorial Day 2025: Commemoration or Celebration?

As Memorial Day is observed across the US on Monday, media across the political spectrum found common ground in honoring the sacrifices of fallen soldiers and their families. Nevertheless, news outlets published an assortment of differing perspectives from veterans on how Americans ought to view the holiday. 

Activism: The Washington Post (Lean Left bias) published letters to the editor from six veterans on what the holiday means to them. David Nelson of Houston wrote, “It is not enough to pay lip service to our military on Memorial Day, and then cut benefits or provide faulty equipment or moldy housing to those currently serving.”

Solemnity: The Post also gave voice to John Satorius of Minneapolis, who wrote, “Please put aside saying ‘thank you for your service’ to us surviving veterans and give all your attention to visiting the graves and honoring the sacrifice.” Similar to Satorius’ solemn request, Army Veteran Jeremy Hunt discouraged those who use the day as a call to action, even in terms of increasing veterans’ benefits. In an opinion for Fox News (Right), he wrote, “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.”

Empathy: Michael T. McPhearson and Gerry Condon, in an opinion for Common Dreams (Left), took a humanitarian approach to the day’s significance. The veterans stressed the importance of honoring “ALL” victims of war, including families of opposing sides, civilians, and the economy due to defense spending. They wrote, “We also recognize that the ‘enemy’ killed by our bullets and bombs had family and friends who loved them too. Their pain is no different than ours,” and they emphasized the high volume of soldiers tragically lost to suicide.

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