My dear friends, as a Veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States of America - a fact that I proudly display - I think Veteran's Day is a sham. Now, don't get me wrong. I am not trying to disparage the sacrifices paid nor the honor we owe to all our veterans out there for the hardships they endured. We owe them our respect and thanks. But what exactly are we honoring?
A soldiers life is tough. They work hard to defend the country from all harm - foreign and domestic. But the method in which many are forced to defend the country, while necessary, is hardly honorable. Killing to protect your fellow citizens isn't nearly as honorable as laying down your life to do so. Nobody walks up to a Veteran and says, "Thank you for all the people you killed overseas so that I can speak my mind here freely." And yet, that's usually part of the job requirement - or at least it is for anyone involved in a war.
Now, I don't wish to dwell on this particularly gruesome fact. Military people do many wonderful things... and they also drop bombs, shoot people, and project force. Its a job. Its a horrible, terrible, but unfortunately, necessary job. We owe our thanks to our veterans for doing these horrible terrible things that need to be done for us.
This is all a round about way of saying what we should be honoring are the peace makers - the ones who go equally into harm's way, sacrificing everything they have, to bring food, knowledge, and health care to people that are sometimes resistant to their very existence. They go into war zones, famine areas, health crises, without any thought or regard to their own safety, and do the beautiful, wonderful necessary things that need to be done. All pay some, and some pay all to do these things. But rarely do these people cause harm while they are doing these things. They don't need to blow up a village in order to save it first. They don't need to shoot brothers, sisters, parents, and friends in order to save everyone else. They do their work with kind words, loving hearts, and generous spirits.
War is evil and we shouldn't continue to honor it in any way, shape, or form. We should acknowledge the sacrifice of those who fought in the wars, but we shouldn't continue to heap honor on these horrible acts.
I appreciate the thanks. I appreciate the remembrances for those that have fallen. But I don't wish to be reminded or applauded for the necessary evils I was called upon to perpetrate on other people. There seems to be something wrong in that very notion.
As for me, I spent my minute of silence at 11:11:11 thanking God for the sacrifices that have been made by both soldiers and peacekeepers, and longing for a world where soldiers were no longer necessary. A Day Without Veterans would be a holiday I would truly enjoy celebrating.
