I am a United States Veteran and as such I would like to shed some light on why we need to restore the true meaning of Memorial Day. Did you know that Memorial Day used to be on May 30th every year until 1971 when it was placed on the last Monday in May? By doing so the American people have lost touch with the meaning of Memorial Day and it now is just an excuse to have a three day weekend and go shopping for "Memorial Day Deals". I can't help but think of the people who fought for our country rolling over in their graves because Memorial Day has turned into a commercial holiday.

You may be thinking, "Well what about the National Moment of Remembrance Act, P.L. 106-579?". This act was declared a law in December 2000 that on Memorial Day at 3pm local time American's are encouraged to stop wherever they are for a minute of silence to remember our fallen soldiers and that it is a way to put the "memorial" back into Memorial Day. However, this is not enough. How about instead, we give ALL of Memorial Day back to our fallen heroes and their families? By declaring May 30th to be Memorial Day once again, we can give the families of the fallen a day to mourn how they see fit without people throwing a party in their backyard because they have an extended weekend. 

If you are still on the fence about signing this petition, I understand. There is nothing wrong with wanting a three day weekend, in fact, I think most of us deserve it. So here is my suggestion; May 15th is National Armed Forces Day, how about we give a three day weekend to that holiday instead? Let's say "Happy Armed Forces Day!" and celebrate the people who are serving our country and protecting our freedom. Let's thank them for their service and offer deals on food and consumer goods so that they can have a fun-filled day that they deserve and we don't have to give up that long weekend that we look forward to. 

In summary, Memorial Day should be on May 30th and be a whole day dedicated to remembering the fallen instead of an excuse to have a party and a long weekend. Instead let's give that celebration to the people serving in our military on May 15th, National Armed Forces Day, so that everyone can join together in celebration of life and freedom. 

I hope that I convinced you to sign my petition. Thank you for reading all the way through, you are greatly appreciated. 

Kind Regards,

United States Navy Veteran

Learn more at: https://www.va.gov/opa/speceven/memday/history.asp