This morning there was very little traffic coming to work. It’s a national holiday, Veterans Day. Most people have the day off, schools, banks and post offices are closed. We know that this is the day to honor those who have served in the Military but most of us don’t know the history of the date.
In 1918 in the 11th hour of November 11th World War I ended. The Allies and the Germans signed an armistice to end all fighting on the Western Front. President Wilson proclaimed November 11 Armistice Day, thereby beginning the annual commemoration of the end of the Great War. Over the years it became Veterans Day to honor veterans returning from all wars. In 1938 Congress made it a legal holiday and 11/11 has always the date.
There is one more bit of information about Veterans Day that we should remember. Unknown soldiers were laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery, Westminster Abbey in London and the Arc de Triomphe in Paris in 1921. The United States still carries on this tradition of honoring our unidentified military dead on November 11 at 11a.m. at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery.
Unfortunately this holiday has fallen into the same trappings as all others. Some get a day off and the only significance of the day to the majority of the nation is the number of sales advertised at least a week in advance. I know too many Veterans to leave what they did on the sidelines and go shopping for what is assumed to be a bargain. Life should be looked at so cheaply.
I don’t like or believe in war. Wars have ruined far too many lives. But I understand that each country needs to have a military presence for protection. More than ever I respect the men and women who risk their lives to go out and fight for what they believe in. Some of them have not faired well lately. I want to thank all the Veterans who write for SWI for their efforts to protect this country of ours and to thank those veterans who have gone before them. We need to do more to honor those brave enough to watch our shores.
