I still think of Veterans Day as Armistice Day, its original name,
commemorating the end of World War I. The nations that founded the
holiday did so to celebrate the end of what they believed was the "war
to end all wars" and thus to symbolize the end of war itself. In
America, Veterans Day is now associated with honoring US war dead and
remembering the sacrifices of veterans in all our conflicts. This is
good and very much in keeping with the original spirit of the holiday;
for remembering the terrible cost of war is the best way for us to
appreciate the peace we now enjoy. For me, Veterans Day embodies two
moods at once: somber reflection on the sacrifices of soldiers and
gratitude for the blessing of peace.Yet these days, Veterans Day often makes me sad. It seems that this holiday in particular almost can't help becoming politicized, particularly in the midst of a controversial war. This is a holiday about celebrating the end of war; I don't want to see it become something like a "Support the Troops" bumper-sticker. I want people to look at all the tremendous sacrifices made by veterans and draw the right lesson from them: that war is terrible and we must do everything we can to prevent it. In honoring the warrior, we should take care not to honor war in itself. Remember that beneath the memorials to individual soldiers, the laurels for their courage, there is a subtle message to the younger generation: you should grow up and become soldiers too. I don't think that's the message that should be sent on Veteran's Day. This should be a holiday about remembering the price of peace, for no soldier joins to perpetuate war. All veterans served and fought in the expectation of eventually regaining the peace, and enjoying a measure of it themselves. If we want to truly thank veterans, then we should not only honor them as individuals but honor the thing they fought and died for: the return to a peaceful society. We should remember that Veterans Day was once Armistice Day.
No comments:
Post a Comment