Veterans Day

Today is Veterans Day. We celebrate Veterans Day on November 11th of each year. We should take time each year to remember and honor our veterans in America. We have veterans that have fought in a number of wars over the years. We have veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf War of 1991, the war in Afghanistan and the current war in Iraq beginning in 2003. Let's set aside some time today to personally thank each veteran for serving our country and sacrificing their lives for the benefit of America. If it wasn't for the Veterans, we wouldn't be enjoying the freedoms that we dearly enjoy today in America. If you listen to talk radio, you hear a lot of references being made to the freedom of speech being under attack. When we think of America's veterans, we need to remember it's because of them that we have freedom of speech in America. We have the freedom to speak our minds and make statements that are unpopular. Many countries don't allow their citizens the freedom of speech like America does. It's a special privilege that we shouldn't take for granted. One time years ago I was at the local post office in my hometown and I saw a sign on the board there which was giving tribute to the American soldier. It stated that it was because of the American soldier that we have freedom of speech; not protesters. I wholeheartedly agree with that. Our veterans have protected this country from tyranny over the years. When I think of World War II, I think of the veterans that so bravely and valiantly fought that war. It was a crucial time in the history of our world. We had dictators such as Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Hirohito on the loom. Hilter was on a quest for world domination. Thanks to God and our brave veterans the forces of Hitler were turned back. I have to agree with Tom Brokaw that the World War II generation was the greatest generation.

Here's a little background of Veterans Day. On November 11, 1918, a treaty was signed with Germany to officially end World War I. It was known as Armistice Day. The hostilities ceased on the 11th hour, the 11th day, and the 11th month of 1918. On November 11, 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11th as Armistice Day. The U.S. Congress concurrently passed a resolution seven years later June 4, 1926 proclaiming it Armistice Day (52 Stat. 351; 5 U.S. Code Sec. 87a). On May 13, 1938 Armistice Day was set aside as a legal holiday. It was to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as "Armistice Day." In 1953 in Emporia, Kansas there was a shoe store owner named Al King who decided to push for an "All" Veterans Day on November 18. He wanted to recognize and honor all veterans from all wars instead of just the veterans from World War I. King was involved with American War Dads during World War II. The Emporia Chamber of Commerce in Kansas took up the cause and on November 11, 1953 90% of Emporia merchants as well as the Board of Education favored closing the doors of businesses that day to celebrate the holiday. U.S. Representative Ed Rees pushed a bill to make Veterans Day a national holiday. President Dwight Eisenhower signed the bill into law on May 26, 1954. On November 8, 1954 Congress amended the act and "Armistice Day" was changed to "Veterans Day". The holiday has been known as Veterans Day ever since.

In 1971 in accordance with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act the holiday was celebrated on the 4th Monday of October. In 1978 the holiday was moved back to its original celebration on November 11. In recent years there's been a trend in many businesses against closing to celebrate the holiday. The Post Office and the banks still close to celebrate Veterans Day.

In these last several years America has been embroiled in two wars in the Middle East. There's been many that have protested America's participation in Iraq for example. Many Americans today feel that our still being in Iraq and Afghanistan is futile. I have been a critic the last several years on how our government has conducted these two wars. I make no bones about that. However, that's not the fault of our soldiers. Our attitude towards America's veterans and soldiers currently fighting these wars shouldn't be based on our thoughts toward America's participation in both wars in the Middle East. The soldiers have done a marvelous job. They're doing what they're instructed to do by their commanders. We have no excuse to vent out our anger towards our troops or veterans because of the foolish decisions that the Pentagon makes. Many of our Vietnam veterans were greeted with hostility and were even spat upon when they returned from Vietnam in the early 70's. That's not right. We should thank and be appreciative of our veterans for what they've done to preserve America's freedom. If we are going to vent our anger towards anyone, it should be toward the Congress and the President, not our soldiers.