Changing the date of Memorial Day just to create a three-day weekend has weakened the day's meaning. We support the bill introduced by Senator Inouye which restores the traditional day of observance of Memorial Day to 30 May.
Mr. Inouye first introduced the bill in 1999 (S 189). He reintroduced it in 2003 (S. 70) in 2005 (S. 80), and most recently in 2007 (S. 70). Each time it gets read twice and then referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, where no further action is taken. Please help convince Congress to pass this bill.
Changing the date of Memorial Day just to create a three-day weekend has weakened the day's meaning. We support the bill introduced by Senator Inouye which restores the traditional day of observance of Memorial Day to 30 May.
Mr. Inouye first introduced the bill in 1999 (S 189). He reintroduced it in 2003 (S. 70) in 2005 (S. 80), and most recently in 2007 (S. 70). Each time it gets read twice and then referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, where no further action is taken. Please help convince Congress to pass this bill.
Mr. Inouye: On January 19, 1999 you introduced bill S 189 to the Senate which called for the restoration of the traditional day of observance of Memorial Day back to May 30th. As you eloquently stated in you introductory remarks on the bill: "Mr. President, in our effort to accommodate many Americans by making the last Monday in May, Memorial Day, we have lost sight of the significance of this day to our nation. Instead of using Memorial Day as a time to honor and reflect on the sacrifices made by Americans in combat, many Americans use the day as a celebration of the beginning of summer. My bill would restore Memorial Day to May 30 and authorize our flag to fly at half mast on that day. In addition, this legislation would authorize the President to issue a proclamation designating Memorial Day and Veterans Day as days for prayer and ceremonies honoring American veterans. This legislation would help restore the recognition our veterans deserve for the sacrifices they have made on behalf of our nation." (1999 Congressional Record, page S621) Many citizens who have visited the US Memorial Day website (www.usmemorialday.org) have echoed your sentiments. Many have written in supporting the restoration of the traditional day of observance for Memorial Day. We, the undersigned, add our voices to this cause in support of your bill S 189. In addition, to keep the number of three day Federal Holidays the same, we recommend that Armed Forces day, the third weekend of every May, could become a three-day holiday. On that holiday we can go out and enjoy and celebrate the freedoms won and maintained by our Armed Forces; on Memorial Day we can solemnly reflect upon the high cost of that freedom. The Undersigned,
We signed the "Restore The Traditional Day Of Observance For Memorial Day" petition!
# 13,668:
12:18 pm PST, Nov 20,Marcus Deemer, California
# 13,667:
7:11 am PST, Nov 20,Name not displayed, Maryland
# 13,666:
1:17 pm PST, Nov 17,Michael Tolerico, New Jersey
# 13,665:
4:00 pm PST, Nov 16,Christopher Chapman, Georgia
# 13,664:
8:18 am PST, Nov 16,Mark Hale, Georgia
# 13,663:
9:41 am PST, Nov 15,Guy Griesse, Florida
# 13,662:
8:27 am PST, Nov 13,Jim Schreifels, Minnesota
I've pushed this at our Republican caucus multiple times, and it is disappointing that it does not go forward, beyond our county.
# 13,661:
6:49 pm PST, Nov 12,Andrew Wray, South Carolina
I am a retired Navy Chief having served 24 years in defense of this great nation. It really burns me that such an historic date would be changed just to allow Feds a three day weekend! The men that this holiday is for cannot enjoy the weekend. Make this holiday stand out and mean something.
Andrew C. Wray Chief Petty Officer, USN(ret)
# 13,660:
3:15 pm PST, Nov 12,PATRICK ADAMS, Texas
We have Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, and Veteran's Day. We need to quit degrading them each by confusing them all for their prescribed purposes. We also detract from their importance by selling their purpose to the commercialized 3-day weekend. For ONE SECOND, let us forget ourselves and remember the sacrifices of others...but each on its proper day!
# 13,659:
6:37 pm PST, Nov 11,Mary Frances Allen, Arkansas
I think it is time we put God and country, and those who have protected us, before pleasure. Was it one of our forefathers who said: "He who forgets his past has no future."?
Mary F. Allen, Commander
American Legion Post 75
Hamburg, Arkansas
# 13,658:
1:55 pm PST, Nov 11,William Riley, Massachusetts
# 13,657:
9:38 am PST, Nov 11,Barbara Hoadley, North Carolina
Thank you for taking the initiative of returning Memorial Day to its original meaning. In these times, we need to remember the sacrifices made by our men and women in the services.
# 13,656:
7:57 am PST, Nov 11,David Carlton, Arkansas
# 13,655:
7:30 pm PST, Nov 10,David Widdison, Idaho
Honoring our war dead and our anncestors is more important than having a three day weekend.
# 13,654:
7:27 am PST, Nov 10,Mark Ellwood, Ohio
I am in my 39th year as a high school history teacher and have led student trips to vaious locations in Europe. We have always included one of our U.S. Military Cemeteries as part of our personal heritage, including the cemetery in Epinal, France, where my mother's only brother is buried. I would prefer that we memorialize our war dead officially on 30 May, each year, according to our original Decoration Day/Memorial Day date. Thank you.
# 13,653:
3:35 am PST, Nov 8,Dona Williams, Texas
I'm an American living in England. While watching their Remembrance Day ceremony on television, my British husband asked me what we did on Memorial Day. I was ashamed that I could not say we remember our war dead as well as they do here. I'm afraid that for people in my generation who have only known it as a three day weekend, Memorial Day is a time for vacation, rather than a time for remembrance.
# 13,652:
1:04 pm PST, Nov 7,Randi Kelly, California
# 13,651:
5:25 am PST, Nov 6,R.E. Dutcher, Georgia
# 13,650:
7:52 pm PST, Nov 5,L Baker, Texas
# 13,649:
9:54 am PST, Nov 5,Walter Zometsky, South Carolina
# 13,648:
11:32 am PST, Nov 4,Jelissa Jones, Florida
# 13,647:
6:18 am PST, Nov 3,Antwan Adams, Indiana
Comments
# 13,646:
5:35 am PST, Nov 3,Eric Dabney, Tennessee
I agree that Memorial Day should be observed on 30 May, each and every year.
# 13,645:
7:49 pm PST, Nov 1,Kevin Bannister, Georgia
Please return Memorial Day to its original day of observance so that Americans will remember its original purpose. It was not intended to be a holiday, but a day of rememberance of those that gave their lives in military service. We already have too many holidays.
# 13,644:
10:51 am PST, Nov 1,Pook Silby, Wisconsin
Honor our vets. Honor the correct day.
# 13,643:
3:06 pm PDT, Oct 31,Phil Radford, United Kingdom
Comments
# 13,642:
4:50 pm PDT, Oct 29,Hillary NONE ya, California
cool
# 13,641:
8:18 am PDT, Oct 29,Dwight Schrute, Pennsylvania
Beets. Bears. Battlestar Galactica
# 13,640:
2:59 pm PDT, Oct 28,Name not displayed, California
# 13,639:
8:42 am PDT, Oct 26,Name not displayed, West Virginia
# 13,638:
6:44 pm PDT, Oct 25,Pete Rizzo, Nevada
# 13,637:
6:15 pm PDT, Oct 22,Nicholas Dorman, Nebraska
# 13,636:
2:10 pm PDT, Oct 22,Steven Washburn, California
It's way past time that we as a free God fearing nation Stop and take time to Honor those soldiers who sacrificed their lives,so that the people of the USA can enjoy the freedoms we so much seem to take for granted these days. Remember, freedom isn't free. Take time to honor those who died for the LOVE of our blessed nation.
# 13,635:
8:27 am PDT, Oct 18,Ralph Dalton, North Carolina
# 13,634:
6:30 am PDT, Oct 14,Gary Jenkins, Texas
# 13,633:
4:16 pm PDT, Oct 13,Bobbi McGhee, Wisconsin
As a veteran of the United States Navy, I support the date change back to the original May 30th date. It should never have been changed for the convenience of a 3 day weekend.
# 13,632:
2:40 pm PDT, Oct 13,Joseph Francis, Louisiana
# 13,631:
11:11 am PDT, Oct 10,Richard Brewer, Texas
# 13,630:
7:07 am PDT, Oct 8,Sarah Elizabeth, Massachusetts
i agree
# 13,629:
2:19 am PDT, Oct 7,Someone Blah, Hong Kong
Hi.
# 13,628:
9:01 am PDT, Oct 6,Allison Samuel, Missouri
# 13,627:
9:39 pm PDT, Oct 2,Shaul Firon, New York
As a new Immigrant to the USA I am writing you to tell that as many many of my Israeli friends now living in the USA we cannot understand how an important day has been drained so badly of it's meaning. Memorial Day should be a day that unite all ages and cultures around flag and country remembering the ones that gave it all. Gave their life so we can go on. In Israel there is a 1 minute remembrance assigned by law. Sirens are sounded and cars stop at the side of the road to remember the one who are no longer with us. cinemas and other "recreation type business" are closed by law. This day proceeds the day of independence (the IL 4th of July if you will) so people can clearly remember why and how the Israeli people got their independence. Degrading this memorial day to a shopping sale spree places everything that's wrong front and center in my mind.
best regards,
Shaul Firon
# 13,626:
10:40 pm PDT, Sep 29,BOYD S. MINER, South Carolina
IN MEMORY OF MY WIFE, A DECEASED KOREAN WAR VETERAN
# 13,625:
4:50 am PDT, Sep 22,Earl Rug, Pennsylvania
# 13,624:
4:51 am PDT, Sep 21,John Manning, Massachusetts
# 13,623:
3:55 pm PDT, Sep 20,Name not displayed, Texas
# 13,622:
4:38 pm PDT, Sep 16,Michael Valle, New Jersey
# 13,621:
6:54 pm PDT, Sep 15,Maureen Bachert, New York
This should be passed immediately and unamiously-I am tired of our veterans getting used by politiciams to further their own careers.
# 13,620:
6:10 am PDT, Sep 15,Deb Holder, Wisconsin
We need to remember the men and women who have died to preserve our freedoms. Future generations need to be taught the true meaning of Memorial Day
# 13,618:
3:00 pm PDT, Sep 12,Nanci McGreevy, Florida
Memorial Day is a very special day to our country and to me personally. I have two family members who were actually born on the original Memorial Day. I think the fact that we just carelessly change the actual date is wrong and weakens the day's meaning. It is a special day and should remain May 30th.
# 13,617:
12:44 pm PDT, Sep 11,Wendy A. King, Florida
As a young girl growing up in a small bedroom community outside of Boston I remember marching in the Memorial Day parades as a Brownie and later as a Girl Scout to honor our wartime dead & place flags on soldier's graves w/in our town. As much as it's nice to have a 3-day weekend, the moving of the date of observance for Memorial Day undermines the very reason it was first enacted. As a disabled vet, and former Naval Officer, I feel very strongly about this holiday and that it should be restored to it's rightful place. Not every employer, especially small businesses, observes or honors all the so-called "Federal holidays" so the decision to move it in order to create a 3-day weekend benefits federal & state employees only. Please restore this holiday to it's original date of 30 May. As a society & a country, America (USA) is loosing touch w/ it's roots & heritage; the time to reclaim these is NOW less we forget all who have paid the price to keep us free.
# 13,616:
7:35 am PDT, Sep 11,Lisa Rost, Texas
We need to do the right thing honor our brave on the correct Day of May 30th. If a person needs a 3 day weekend take a vacation day. Also in this day and time most people have to work anyway except for federal & government employees and small business persons!!!!!!!!! Again it is all about the government getting their time off!!!!! Not about what the people want!!!!
# 13,615:
11:21 am PDT, Sep 9,Sharon Guinn, Nevada
This day should be celebrated on May 30th and not moved to a date that is convenient for a 3 day weekend. This is a day for remembering all those who fought for the freedoms we take for granted.
# 13,614:
7:58 am PDT, Sep 9,Janice Rosa, New Hampshire
Please have our nation honor our soldiers on May 30th.
I believe oue little town of Newmarket, NH may be one
of the few that celebrate on this day to remember.
This is not about a four day weekend, its about those
that gave their lives. Please also teach this in school.
Sincerely, Janice Rosa
# 13,612:
12:28 pm PDT, Sep 6,John Fishel, Oklahoma
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8:40 am PDT, Sep 5,Daniel Ray Baucom, North Carolina
# 13,610:
11:09 am PDT, Sep 3,Earl C. Bundy III, Pennsylvania
Our childern aren't even taught about the many great sacrifices made in order to allow us the freedoms we take for granted. We need to restore the values that helped make this country great, once again!
# 13,609:
11:52 am PDT, Sep 2,James Cable, Indiana
# 13,608:
11:54 am PDT, Sep 1,Jim Parker, Arkansas
# 13,607:
8:36 am PDT, Sep 1,Scott Young, Florida
Do the American thing and bring back this day of honor!
# 13,606:
2:13 pm PDT, Aug 28,Faith H. Leibman, Pennsylvania
Veteran's Day should be a state and Federal holiday in every state in this country. We cannot properly honor veteran's at our VFW, American Legion and Disabled American Veteran's posts because the state does not recognize Veteran's Day as a state holiday.
# 13,605:
12:16 am PDT, Aug 25,Name not displayed, Hawaii
I agree with restoring the tradition and respect of observance of Memorial Day to 30 May and not trivialize this hallow day by observing on a three day weekend. Provide and show the respect deserving each and every day.
RMCS(SW) USN Ret.
# 13,604:
9:56 pm PDT, Aug 17,Roger Robicheau, Florida
This holiday should be celebrated on the day it is meant to be. They died to preserve our freedom. Let us preserve their special day.
# 13,603:
4:05 pm PDT, Aug 16,Diana Rodenburg, Arkansas
This is important...To show our respect for those who lost thier lives .
Protecting the freedoms we take for granted
# 13,602:
2:34 pm PDT, Aug 15,Duane Browning, Hawaii
# 13,601:
11:01 am PDT, Aug 13,Denice Thornhill, Massachusetts
So many people see only the 3 day weekend marking the start of summer, they miss the true significance of honouring those who fought to defend our liberties.
