![]() The one day set aside to encourage peaceful relations among people and nations through disarmament and pacifism faded into the background.Ĭovid in veteran homes and veteran suicides The honoring of the military service of veterans took center stage over a day to celebrate peace. In 1938, Congress approved the date of November 11 as a legal holiday – “a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as Armistice Day.” Think of it: a national holiday for peace.įollowing WWII, the Korean War and with the emergence of Cold War era rhetoric, in 1954, Congress amended the act of 1938, rebranding the day as Veterans Day. After the human slaughter and environmental damage of WWI, hope for a nonviolent future among people and nation states was embodied in the promise of a day to celebrate peace and to advance a commitment to end all wars. Since I am not expecting that kind of conversation to happen any time soon given that the corporate media system benefits from the current historical agenda of Veterans Day events, I humbly offer some possible talking points to include in any future conversation.Īrmistice Day, November 11, 1918, a day to commemorate the truce that brought an end to Word War I, was also dedicated to the cause and perpetuation of world peace. An inclusive national conversation would also point out that who controls the history and story of war also controls the terms that frame the military veteran and the acceptable experiences of the military veteran. In order to transform Veterans Day, what is needed is an inclusive national conversation that gives equal time to perspectives at variance with the historical agenda and standard schedule of Veterans Day events. Eisenhower signing of HR7786, June 1, 1954, this ceremony changed Armistice Day to Veterans Day.
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