The pictures and biographies that hang in the main hall around Veterans Day have been a valiant attempt by history teacher Mr. Dodson to help increase student remembrance and respect for the former Dons who have given their lives for our country. But for many students Veterans Day means a day off from school.
A lucky few students may have the chance to hear in their history classes about how it is held on November 11 to commemorate the Armistice of World War I which ended on the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month of 1918. The day, has over time, also come to be a state and federal day of remembrance of the fallen soldiers of every American war.
The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have reinvigorated America’s support for the men and women of the armed forces but there is still a large number of teenagers who allow Veterans Day to pass by as an extra day on the weekend. Some people utilize it as a day to hang out with friends, to take a three day ski trip, or to put off homework.
A lot of students don’t even know about Arlington West. The privately run project sets up white crosses, just like in Arlington Cemetery, in the sand near Stearn’s Wharf. Each cross represents a US soldier who has fallen in Iraq or Afganistan. The weekly event is a powerful reminder of this war’s cost.
If we as students are going to keep getting Veterans Day off there should be some recognition of why we are getting the day off in the first place.
Talking about Veteran’s Day in your history class or writing a letter to someone in your family or that you know that has been in the armed forces might be a nice way to commemorate our fallen soldiers.
Whether or not you agree with what our country is asking our soldiers to do is not something that should be directed towards remembrance on this one day.
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