The Importance of Veterans’ Day
By Brytin Staab
As Americans, we are the people that constitute one of the greatest nations in the world and are blessed to be protected by the selfless men and women of the armed forces who served in overseas conflicts. Few of us stop to reflect on what this truly means, but all of us are impacted by it every day. These family, friends, and neighbors guide our future with a servant’s heart to protect the freedoms that allow our nation to progress. This Veterans’ Day, in a country troubled by broken hearts, deceit, and violence, we must not forget the heroes who have served in the U.S military, pledging themselves to a life that many of us don’t have the strength to bear.
Veterans’ Day has always had a different meaning for me than what it truly is for. A family member’s birthday, just around the corner from the holidays, and in the midst of academic craziness, I have always taken for granted that one day that pops up on my calendar with every other event and assignment in the middle. Yet Veterans’ Day has been here since 1954, offering a moment for the veterans around this country to be recognized for their sacrifice. Many of us have a hard time picturing small sacrifices of our money and time for charity, yet these soldiers chose to give a portion of their lives and their families’ lives to protect what we have been blessed with since 1776. This silent moment must not pass without our respect and admiration for them.
Veterans deserve much more than a day of recognition. Throughout these tumultuous past few months, they have watched many freedoms in our country break down as those in power seek to silence dissenting voices. This is not what they fought for. If our voices are silenced, just imagine what this will do to the veteran community. Their ability to convey their love for their country, the horrors that they’ve seen abroad, and the importance of our freedoms will be wiped out. Their need for homes, healthcare, and basic necessities will be ranked below social reforms and failing programs.
After giving up so much, they must be honored with our respect and our motivation to fight for them as well. They took up their duty without qualms, and we are at the opportune time to change the narrative that we have set of silently letting Veterans’ Day pass by without many Americans batting an eye for all these years. By righting the way we treat our veterans, we open up the opportunity for some much-needed healing in this country.
Today 1.5 million veterans live in poverty. We’ve all seen them, heard their emotional stories from Veterans Administration hospitals, and offered up our prayers to them. For a nation that owes its freedoms to our warriors, it doesn’t do enough to repay its high debt of gratitude. Woke culture and suppression of speech open up a dangerous door that could eliminate the culture of respect surrounding veterans. We must never go down the path of letting these social movements destroy our respect for those who put themselves in harm's way for our protection.
Veteran’s Day may seem inconvenient and irrelevant amid our day-to-day responsibilities, but we must not let our jobs, vacations, or anything else erode our ability to pause and reflect on their service and sacrifice.
Photo via Reagan Foundation
