Memorial Day, Veterans Day, what's the difference

Saw a cartoon on the opinion page in the Sunday edition of the Gannett paper in Springfield, Missouri.

No one there or at the Design Studio saw this and realized this is Memorial Day weekend, not the Veterans Day holiday in November?

This is Example No. 1,716 that begs the question: If you can't get the easy things right, why should readers trust you can get the difficult things right?

 

Memorial Day - remembering those who died.
Veterans Day - honoring those who served.

 

Memorial Day = Ok to wear summer seasonals
Labor Day = Time to put that summer fling on ice
Veterans Day = last day to invite someone to Thanksgiving dinner if it involves travel

 

Looking at the date in the upper right (2015), it's apparent that someone searched for "patriotic cartoon" on a server somewhere and chose this one for Memorial Day. Not the cartoonist's fault. But, echoing a different thread, where are the editors?

Signed,
An editor

 

Memorial Day has lost its meaning to some. It is a day to honor and remember those who died in service to the country. Not those who served or those who served and later died.

The day seems to have morphed into another chance to honor the military, which is what Veterans Day is.

 

And we already got 17 NFL Sundays in the fall for that hype...

 

I agree, 100 percent not the cartoonist's fault. I shouldn't be surprised anymore, but there are (or should have been, at least) at least 3-4 people who saw this cartoon before it went to print and nixed it. Even on a holiday weekend.

But I'm guessing it was seen by maybe just 1 - the designer at the Design Studio - who found it, threw it on the page and then went on to the 3 dozen other pages they had to plow through.

 

I grew up in a military town, and this drives me nuts. I see people who had a parent or grandparent who served do this ALL the damn time on Facebook. Sometimes even friends whose family members are still serving. Memorial Day ain't for them. Veterans Day is when you honor the veterans who have served. Armed Forces Day is when you honor those who are serving. Memorial Day is a special day for those who made the ultimate sacrifice.