Sunday is Veteran's Day. It began in 1919 as Armistice Day. President Wilson inaugurated Armistice Day. The original plan was to suspend all activities for two minutes at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of a year.
After World War II and the Korean War millions of veterans were added to those who deserved to be honored, living and dead. President Eisenhower signed the legislation changing Armistice to Veterans Day. In 1968 congress changed the day of observance to the fourth Monday in October. That was not popular, so in 1975 congress changed it back to November 11.
Let's face it, we are a warring nation. The Civil War was the most deadly with 750,000 Americans killing each other. I salute those men and women who face combat in the air and on the ground and under the sea. They deserve our honor and respect. There are others, like myself, who were "cold war" veterans around the world. Still others were in support positions which were vitally important for success.
With all of this I still hear the words of President FDR, " I hate war ". He led our nation through most of World War II but it was painful and harsh and deadly.
So wars continue. Politics get attention and when one speaks for or against it can sound, or may be, political. We should learn from war but do not. The Spanish American War was fueled by men who had heard the civil war stories. The same for Korea for I saw classmates drop out of college to go off to Korea. Some of them never returned.
We are warriors, but we are not alone, and that is really frightening with the weapons available to small armies around the world. At this moment there are fourteen conflicts of various sizes taking place around the world. I think of the words of a Christmas carol from Civil War times. "and in despair I bowed my head. There is no peace on earth, I said. For hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth good will to men." Our only sure hope is to be anchored solidly in THE PRINCE OF PEACE. Tomorrow I will share a poem I wrote last week called "The Rusty Rifle". I hope you will read it.