Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, an advocacy nonprofit for veterans of the post-9/11 wars, has launched its fourth-annual #GoSilent campaign. The organization suggests that Americans everywhere observe a minute of silence at 12:01pm ET on Memorial Day in honor of fallen war heroes.
Honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, take a moment to #GoSilent at 12:01 @cspanwj
— IAVA (@iava) May 25, 2015
IAVA, founded in 2004, raises awareness of veterans’ issues like mental health, GI Bill benefits, and what calls “inadequate health care for female veterans.” It hosts annual “VetTogethers” that foster community and help veterans find jobs, education, and health care.
The #GoSilent campaign, however, is quickly becoming its highest-profile endeavor to date. On Monday, the hashtag crossed over to from Twitter to Facebook and became a trending item.
Remember them. Honor them. Celebrate their lives and memory. #GoSilent with us at 12:01 ET #MemorialDay pic.twitter.com/hLk0cbaI1O
— IAVA (@iava) May 25, 2015
Many #GoSilent tweets have a similar structure: a personal photo or narrative woven into the broader remembrance movement.
#GoSilent And when our work is done,
— Dr. Waitman W. Beorn (waitmanwbeorn.com on 🟦) (@waitmanb) May 25, 2015
Our course on earth is run,
May it be said, ‘Well Done;
Be Thou At Peace.’ https://t.co/mn2sVnrW3k
Tomorrow at 12:01 PM, ET, #GoSilent for PFC Juan Restrepo, 2/503 Battle Company, 173rd ABN @IAVA pic.twitter.com/4pMpS5Cimq
— Sebastian Junger (@sebastianjunger) May 25, 2015
https://twitter.com/canhlol/status/602661783774498816
https://twitter.com/sherryrose/status/602630703881199616
https://twitter.com/noonanjo/status/602604214888636416
I will #GoSilent tomorrow in honor of 2LT John Vaughan, always missed, never forgotten! #MemorialDay @iava pic.twitter.com/vZohCrXHfx
— Zach McIlwain (@ZachMcIlwain) May 24, 2015
I will #GoSilent on #MemorialDay for MAJ Gary R. Fullerton @USMC RIP “Slim” 21JUL2004. @iava pic.twitter.com/meTsmJKYYC
— Carey Lohrenz (@CareyLohrenz) May 24, 2015
I will #GoSilent for Maj. Megan McClung KIA Dec. 6, 2006. “Be bold. Be brief. Be gone.” Rest in Paradise, Ma’am pic.twitter.com/vZUIhHCqTI
— Priscilla Marie (@Mz_Pris_) May 24, 2015
Likewise, there are no shortage of political, celebrity, and corporate tie-ins to the #GoSilent campaign.
I took the #GoSilent pledge. Join me in honoring our nation’s fallen this Memorial Day http://t.co/hQ3H3ZjC6c
— Jeb Bush (@JebBush) May 25, 2015
#GoSilent for 1 minute today and remember them. Before a Soldier’s Rest, a Panoply of Details http://t.co/mavGmhnYzl @iava @PaulRieckhoff 🇺🇸
— Michelle Monaghan (@realmonaghan) May 25, 2015
Honor the Fallen today and take the pledge to #GoSilent at 12:01 ET. #MemorialDay @iava
— Patrick J. Kennedy (@PJK4brainhealth) May 25, 2015
Take the @IAVA #GoSilent pledge and help us honor our nation’s fallen on #MemorialDay: http://t.co/TV5Tn4QofF.
— USAA (@USAA) May 21, 2015
Together w/ @IAVA, we’re excited to reveal the #GoSilent paint scheme for Memorial Day! http://t.co/jlfMPEFxCB pic.twitter.com/VV6kJsDdsY
— Cale Conley Racing (@CaleConley) May 19, 2015
Photo via Amy Farr/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
