Reps. Ilhan Omar and Cori Bush both made posts on social media in honor of Memorial Day, a federal holiday dedicated to honoring and mourning U.S. military personnel who died in service to their country. However, their messages seemed to mix up Memorial Day with Veterans Day, another federal holiday observed annually on November 11 which honors living military veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. Social media users were quick to point out the error in their messages, with many criticizing the congresswomen for the confusion.
Despite the backlash, both Omar and Bush deleted their original posts within a few hours of posting them. Bush then put up a revised message that correctly acknowledged Memorial Day as a day to honor those who served and lost their lives for the country. On the other hand, Omar did not put up a replacement tweet from her official congressional account, but her personal account posted a message thanking the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives in service to the country.
Critics on social media were quick to react to Omar and Bush’s mix-up, with some pointing out the irony of such confusion coming from a member of Congress. Many users expressed disbelief that elected officials would not know the distinction between Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Others questioned where fellow Squad member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was during the confusion. Despite the criticism, Omar and Bush did not respond to requests for comment from the media.
The confusion between Memorial Day and Veterans Day is a common mistake made by many Americans, but when it comes from elected officials, it can draw additional attention and scrutiny. Memorial Day is a day to remember and honor those who died while serving in the U.S. military, while Veterans Day is a day to honor and thank all living military veterans. Mixing up the meanings of these important holidays can be seen as disrespectful to those who have served and sacrificed for the country.
While Omar and Bush may have deleted their initial posts and attempted to correct their messages, the error highlights a lack of understanding of important commemorations and holidays among elected officials. As representatives of the people, it is crucial for members of Congress to be well-informed about the significance of different holidays and to show respect and acknowledgment to those who have served in the military. Moving forward, elected officials must strive to educate themselves on important national holidays to avoid such misunderstandings in the future.
