One common complaint about both Memorial Day and Labor Day is that Americans don't remember the serious history behind both holidays bracketing summer.
It's not that difficult: to paraphrase Mother Jones, in the first we remember the dead who gave all for their country, while in the second, we recall those who fought like hell for the living.
While each holiday has undergone mission creep, they do commemorate different efforts. Mostly.
But this Labor Day, there's a convergence of the twain. Disabled combat veteran, former lawmaker and current Anoka County Veteran Services Director John Kriesel is retweeting some inspiring messages from today.
For Memorial Day.
If there's anyone who knows first hand what Memorial Day means, it's Kriesel, who's also known for his lively sense of humor. Both qualities make him the perfect guide through what one tweep suggests for entertainment found via the process in this suggestion he's retweeted:
Looking for some free entertainment? Search Twitter for "Memorial Day" and enjoy the dipshittery.
— fivehundy (@fivehundy) September 1, 2014
Here are some of the tweets he's shared:
Please don't pull the pin. It's Labor Day. RT @markgburg: Good mooooooooorning 'MEMORIAL DAY! Let's pull da' pin on this MoFo and move out!!
— John Kriesel (@johnkriesel) September 1, 2014
Enjoy Labor Day! Ride down the water slide at Vets Memorial Pool #pasco http://t.co/hGb9EPeMl9 pic.twitter.com/4DSAOci3DM
— Pasco Parks and Rec (@PascoParksRec) September 1, 2014
The Voice staff wishes our readers a happy Memorial Day! Americans are encouraged to pause at 3:00pm to honor those who died.
— Arundel Voice (@TheArundelVoice) September 1, 2014
Happy Memorial Day to everyone and a very special thanks to those brave men and women that protect our great country at home & abroad.
— Robert Buckey (@Buckey2014) September 1, 2014
Today, we honor all who have served our country, and we remember those who have given their lives for us with deep gratitude. #MemorialDay
— IN National Guard (@INNationalGuard) September 1, 2014
Happy Memorial Day! @AmbetterTX thanks you for your service. pic.twitter.com/A4sCnsiTde
— Ambetter Texas (@AmbetterTX) September 1, 2014
This memorial day I ain't gonna remember shit. Pass the pipe, fucker
— BitchPleazze (@BitchPleazzenow) September 1, 2014
Go over to his twitter feed for more mash-ups.
Kriesel isn't the only one to notice. Twitchy captures another moment in For crying out loud: Army agency tweets ‘Happy Memorial Day’ on Labor Day:
Happy Memorial Day! "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." ~ Confucius http://t.co/BIgFwsgsYZ
— PEO Soldier (@PEOSoldier) September 1, 2014
Illustration: While unions began having celebrations before Labor Day, the national holiday was passed by Congress as a symbolic gesture of respect or whatever after Presdient Grover Cleveland called in 12,000 soldiers to break the union in the 1894, as Paul Krugman explained in the New York Times last year's Love for Labor Lost Given the militarization of the police in this century, readers can't be blamed if they draw their own conclusions. For Image via Numéro Cinq.
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