Voices : Veterans deserve day of honor

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The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

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Veterans deserve day of honor

In 1926, Congress passed a resolution designating Nov. 11, the day on which the armistice ending World War I was signed, as a day to be "commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations." The day was named "Armistice Day" by another act of Congress in 1938, and changed to "Veterans Day" in 1954 to honor veterans of all wars.

To preserve the date's historical significance, we observe this holiday every Nov. 11. This makes more sense than shuffling the date around every year to gain a three-day weekend, a practice that denigrates history.

Next year, for the first time since its founding in 1869, the University will cancel classes in observance of Veterans Day.

This change in the University's calendar has its roots in a resolution by the Undergraduate Student Government authored by Neal Young after the United States invaded Afghanistan. Its intention is to show support for all American troops and veterans.

Wars require sacrifice. World War II changed the lives of all who lived through it, whether they went overseas to fight or stayed at home to deal with shortages and rationing.

Vietnam threw the nation into turmoil as resistance among young people to the conflict and the draft grew increasingly aggressive.

The war on terror differs in many ways from previous conflicts, perhaps especially in the notion that as citizens we should simply go about our lives, enjoy our freedom and leave the fighting to the troops. We support our troops, of course. They have our prayers, our respect and our undying hope that they will return safely.

We rejoice in our freedom and in the prosperity that allows us to maintain our routines even as our nation fights a war. However, in doing so we run the risk of becoming disengaged from the conflict and its terrible cost.

The resolution by the USG to observe Veterans Day is a sign that students and young people everywhere are aware of our troops' sacrifices and the struggles our veterans face upon their return.

We commend the USG for passing the resolution and the University administration for acting on it. And to our honored veterans, we offer our sincerest thanks.

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