Memorial Day: How Retailers Dishonor Fallen Heroes

Holiday sales and vacuous values…

On May 28, millions of Americans will take time off for solemn observance of Memorial Day to reflect on the selfless sacrifices of our fallen heroes.

Meanwhile, the retail industry is too busy reflecting on how to lure consumers into shopping sprees. But this sacred military holiday is all about remembrance of the nation’s deceased wartime veterans, not remembering to partake in retail sales extravaganzas.

Yet it’s almost impossible to escape the ubiquitous Memorial Day ads and commercials. They appear everywhere, from traditional media to social media — from TV, radio and newspapers to Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Fact: more than one million Americans have died in military service since the Civil War, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

“Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who died in service to their country,” says the Census Bureau. “The holiday was officially proclaimed in 1868 to honor Union and Confederate soldiers and was expanded after World War I to honor those who died in all wars.”

That’s why retailers should be more focused on the historic significance of Memorial Day…