the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month
I prefer it how it was originally called: Armistice Day. Not to deny the sacrifices made by other soldiers in other wars; rather, it's the cessation of hostilities that's so appealing, "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated."
The U.S. changed it to Veterans day in the 1950s due to someone's whim, in this case a shoe store owner in Kansas, which eventually caught the ear of Eisenhower and was signed into law. "One Nation Under God" has a similar history. Something gained, something lost, and I'm worried that the lost part (peace) is to the detriment to the gained part (veterans: past, current and future).
listening to armistice day by paul simon (this version not played by paul, but this guy does a damn fine job with it)
"Oh Congresswoman
Won't you tell that Congressman
I've waited such a long time
I've about waited all I can"
The U.S. changed it to Veterans day in the 1950s due to someone's whim, in this case a shoe store owner in Kansas, which eventually caught the ear of Eisenhower and was signed into law. "One Nation Under God" has a similar history. Something gained, something lost, and I'm worried that the lost part (peace) is to the detriment to the gained part (veterans: past, current and future).
listening to armistice day by paul simon (this version not played by paul, but this guy does a damn fine job with it)
"Oh Congresswoman
Won't you tell that Congressman
I've waited such a long time
I've about waited all I can"
random bits cobbled together by j-dub
2 Comments:
Thanks for the info, I didn't know why they changed the name. I agree with you.
thanks. And after reading this I realize I was extremely cumbersome in explaining: if we fail to celebrate peace, it dishonors the past and current veterans and only makes the peril of future veterans (and civilians) that much greater.
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