A Return to Armistice

Image by janheuninck via FlickrI have a bad habit of stepping in it, and I think I'll revisit that habit of mine by complaining about 'Veteran's Day.'  This is likely a cause that will make some infuriated, so I'll try to keep my complaints brief.  My main complaint is about the seemingly subtle shift between the original name of 'Armistice Day,' (as its still referred to in much of the world) to the current name "Veteran's Day."  You can call me an old grandpa for wanting to stick with the original name, but hear me out here.

Armistice Day was established to commemorate the end of the 'War to End All Wars.' It was made a national holiday as you can read in this excerpt:

On June 4, 1926, Congress passed a resolution that the "recurring anniversary of [November 11, 1918] should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations" and that the president should issue an annual proclamation calling for the observance of Armistice Day. By that time, 27 state legislatures had made November 11 a legal holiday. An act approved May 13, 1938 made November 11 a legal Federal holiday, "dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day.'"   ( History.com ) 

Take note that the wording of the holiday included the perpetuation of peace between nations through prayer and good will actions.  The federal holiday was in fact, "dedicated to the cause of world peace".  That doesn't sound anything like the current holiday that we celebrate.

In 1954 the name of the holiday was changed to 'Veteran's day to not exclude all the folks who fought in WWII, and I think that was a big mistake.  When you change the name of the holiday, you change the focus.  Instead of focusing on peace, we shift our focus to the veterans.  We honor those who have made war instead of the ongoing work of preventing war.  That shift turns the day from one of solemn remembrance of the folly of war to a day where we can beat our chests, talk about how great the US is and say great things about our military without any critical examination of the fact that we're currently involved in conflicts in more countries than you even know about.  Its actually quite a big change from one word to the other.

So I'd like to honor armistice today.  I'd like to celebrate peace and I'd like to use this opportunity to pray for its return to this country.  We haven't known real peace in this country since the end of World War One and we are long due for its return.

Jason
11/11/11 11:11am