The Importance of Remembering...

Dory and I are headed out this afternoon to visit Gramma and celebrate Uncle Harvey's Birthday over the long holiday weekend. Dory has graciously let me take over writing the blog today to write a post I feel strongly about.

This weekend is Veteran's Day in the United States, and this morning I was listening to the news when a commercial came on talking about a big "Veteran's Day Sale". As I heard this I was taken aback, I know in the modern world there is a certain amount of commercialism and in my life time I have seen the proliferation of merchants trying to fill our holidays with shopping and I get it, I don't like it, but I get it.

Anyhow, as an educator and as a citizen of the United States that it is my belief that of all the national holidays we have, as a nation should not commercialize and trivialize Veteran's Day.

The history of this day is November 11, or what has come to be known as Veterans Day, was originally set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor Armistice Day - the end of World War I, which officially took place on November 11, 1918. In legislature that was passed in 1938, November 11 was "dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day.' As such, this new legal holiday honored World War I veterans.

In 1954, after having been through both World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the Act of1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, November 11 became a day to honor AMERICAN VETERANS OF ALL WARS.

And honestly, I don't care if you are pro-war, anti-war, a pacifist, an activist or a militant - this is a solemn day and it is my belief and fervent hope that every citizen in the United States takes just a moment to honor those who served this country in a time of need and in some cases lost their life defending our nation.

I am by no means a big flag waving patriot, but I was born in the United States, educated in the United States, live in the United States and feel strongly that as a result of being a US citizen I have had more opportunities in my life. I also have had relatives and people in my life who have chosen to serve this country, I had a great, great uncle who fought in the Civil War and won the congressional Medal of Honor, my grandmother's brother lost his life serving in France during World War I and the list goes on.

The bottom line for me is that I find it disturbing that some major retailer has taken the tact to use a DAY OF REMEMBRANCE for commercial gain and I needed to get it off my chest. My biggest fear is also as we gain distance from September 11, 2001 we will start trivializing that rememberance as well, and heaven forbid have a 9/11 Sale event.

If you are one of our regular readers, please forgive this slight diversion from our regular blogging and if you live in the United States we ask that you join us on Sunday November 11, 2007 for just a minute, that is all it takes. Stop what you are doing on this day and remember all those who have served our country in the military, without their sacrifice we would not be who we are individually and as a nation.