Ilhan Omar, Cori Bush Blasted for Deleted Memorial Day Tweets: ‘Incredibly On Brand’

Sarah RumpfMay 27th, 2024, 4:21 pm
 
Ilhan Omar and Cori Bush composite image

L: Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) (Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Images). R: Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin).

Two members of the “Squad” lost points Monday with social media posts that were criticized for missing the point of the Memorial Day holiday.

Both Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Cori Bush (D-MO) posted and then deleted tweets for Memorial Day that called for providing support and services to America’s military veterans, drawing sharp rebukes for seeming to miss the point that Memorial Day is dedicated to honoring the memory of those who gave their lives in service to this country.

Observed annually on the last Monday of May, Memorial Day “commemorates the men and women who died while in the military service,” according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and is distinct from Veterans Day, which honors all military veterans on November 11 each year.

In a now-deleted tweet, Omar wrote, “On #MemorialDay, we honor the heroic men and women who served our country. We owe them more than our gratitude — they have more than earned access to quality mental health services, job opportunities, housing assistance, and the benefits they were promised.”

Similarly, Bush wrote, “This #MemorialDay & every day, we honor our veterans in St. Louis. We must invest in universal health care, affordable housing, comprehensive mental health services, and educational & economic opportunities for our veterans as we work to build a world free of war and violence.”

Both congresswoman were loudly criticized for their tweets by conservatives and right-leaning accounts, with many online commentators sarcastically noting that mental health services and so on are of little use to the deceased. A sampling of the critiques:

 

In a later tweet, Omar offered commentary that was better matched for the day’s observances, writing, “On Memorial Day, let’s say thank you to the brave men and women who selflessly sacrificed their lives in service to our country,” as well as a thank you to the families of fallen service members.

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Sarah Rumpf - Contributing Editor

Sarah Rumpf joined Mediaite in 2020 and is a Contributing Editor focusing on politics, law, and the media. A native Floridian, Sarah attended the University of Florida, graduating with a double major in Political Science and German, and earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the UF College of Law. Sarah's writing has been featured at National Review, The Daily Beast, Reason, Law & Crime, Independent Journal Review, Texas Monthly, The Capitolist, Breitbart Texas, Townhall, RedState, The Orlando Sentinel, and the Austin-American Statesman, and her political commentary has led to appearances on the BBC, MSNBC, NewsNation, Fox 35 Orlando, Fox 7 Austin, The Young Turks, The Dean Obeidallah Show, and other television, radio, and podcast programs across the globe.