Sports are important to every single reader of these pages. That’s obvious, or none of us would be here. Yet, every now and again we’re reminded that no matter how important sports are in giving us joy and entertainment, they’re also insignificant when compared to other aspects of our lives.
Today is one of those moments; Veterans Day.
Sports have always been compared to war and battle. The vernacular of sports is filled with words and phrases that originated on the battlefield and during war time. However, the true warriors aren’t passing for touchdowns to Randy Moss in Gillette Stadium, slamming down thunderous dunks over their opponents at the Staples Center, or crushing home runs into the upper deck at Yankee Stadium.
They’re serving and defending their nation in uniform, on the streets of Iraq, in the mountains of Afghanistan, on the deck of an aircraft carrier in the Pacific, or even in an office at Fort Hood in Texas.
Every Veterans Day should be a memorable day for Americans considering we owe so much to those dedicated to protecting and defending our nation. They serve a greater cause than themselves, and our freedoms are due to their sacrifices in time, service, and far too often, blood.
As a veteran myself, I understand some of those sacrifices more clearly than others, though I was fortunate enough to serve in relative peacetime; thereby never having to endure the horrors and suffering of war and its evils—at least not firsthand.
I have endured them vicariously through the suffering my uncles (one of whom has now passed on) endured after coming home from Vietnam. That suffering led to my uncle Carl being placed in mental institutions for the good part of his adult life. My uncle Terry suffered similarly, although his life was far shorter than Carl’s.
On this Veterans Day, that suffering our soldiers and the men and women in our armed forces go through is far more poignant, considering the tragic events that occurred just this past week in Texas, when a disturbed Army Major psychiatrist decided, consciously or not, to commit a heinous act by killing 13 of his fellow service members and injuring numerous others.
While it’s nonetheless tragic whenever any soldier or armed service member loses their life in the course of their duty, including in combat overseas, it’s far more tragic when their lives are shortened while they’re still here at home by the senseless savagery of a crazed gunman on a rampage.
I’m sure I speak for all when I say our hearts are heavy today, sharing the grief, if only peripherally, that the families, friends, and loved ones of those who lost their lives or were injured because of this tragedy feel.
That grief is necessary, too, for as John Adams once said, “Grief drives men into habits of serious reflection, sharpens the understanding, and softens the heart.”
Every Americans' heart needs to soften on this day, and while it's likely we’ll never really understand the incomprehensible actions of Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, we’ll all need to find some way to deal with those actions and move on with our lives.
The answers to the common refrain of “Why?” may never come. Was this an act of terrorism, or simply another sickening example of workplace violence by an unbalanced and troubled individual? Whichever it was, the results are the same; families mourning their losses.
Of course, we also mourn with all those families who’ve lost loved ones to service in the conflicts our nation is currently involved in. No matter the political view of anyone about the war in Iraq and the engagement in Afghanistan, there’s never a reason not to support the troops, mourn their losses, and honor those who’ve completed their service and returned home—safe.
That last thing brings me to a point. While our hearts are heavy with sorrow over the losses of our fallen, and there will be formal ceremonies at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in honor of their sacrifices, to me at least, this is not truly their day.
Yes, the President traditionally places a wreath on the Tomb, and we certainly note the passing of those who’ve fallen in our nation’s service, but I’m of the belief this day is meant more to honor those who’ve survived and returned: veterans.
All over the world this day is observed by other nations as a remembrance of those fallen soldiers of World War I (in Canada and Britain, it’s actually called Remembrance Day), yet our nation has its own “remembrance day” called Memorial Day on which we honor the sacrifice and heroic service of those who’ve died defending our country.
Originally called Armistice Day (armistice means truce), Veterans Day is observed on November 11. This is because it originally commemorated the end of World War I; which took place at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, November 11, 1918.
On the first anniversary of Armistice Day, President Woodrow Wilson issued an official proclamation that expressed pride in the heroes who’d died during the war. While their was no official observance of silence at first, businesses stopped for two minutes starting at 11 AM that first anniversary, and it eventually became customary to observe two minutes of silence on the day beginning at 11 AM.
States throughout the nation officially made Armistice Day a state holiday and twenty years after the end of the war, in 1938, Congress declared it a federal holiday. The name of the holiday was eventually changed to Veterans Day in 1954 in order to honor those who served in World War II and the Korean War, and we now honor all U.S. Armed Service veterans with observance of the holiday.
For a ten-year period the date of the holiday was different, as Congress changed it in 1968 to the fourth Monday in October in order to give Americans a three-day weekend. That foolish decision was overturned a decade later in 1978 after considerable protest by many Americans who felt the significance of the November 11 date was far too important to change just to give people a comfortable weekend.
The observance of this day won’t be limited to cemeteries or churches, either. At sporting venues throughout the nation Americans will be observing the day in a myriad of ways.
People in NBA arenas all across the land will be stopping for a couple of minutes of silence to honor those who’ve served, as well as those who’ve fallen. Other sports venues, such as the NFL, NASCAR, and many other events, have already observed the day with ceremonies during their games that took place this past weekend.
However it’s observed or remembered, this day should be one of proud introspection on the part of all Americans. We have a dedicated few who think beyond their own selfish needs and desires and choose to put their lives at risk in order to make all Americans safe and secure.
These are men and women like the former member of the Miami Hurricanes and Miami Heat, Tim James, who I’ve written about here , who decide, for whatever reasons, that it’s more important to give a measure of their souls to their nation and its people than it is to secure the comforts of a civilian life.
They are to be honored. They deserve nothing less than our unmitigated appreciation for all they’ve done.
In light of that, I entreat any and all who read this to do all they can to find a veteran and express your gratitude for their service. It shouldn’t be too hard to find one, and you may even know one personally; he or she may be a loved one.
Even so, do not hesitate, no matter how often you’ve done so in the past, to give them thanks once again for their service. You yourself will feel better for having given all you are able to give to them, your recognition.
My personal thanks go out to all who’ve served. You are all heroes.
And once the observances are finished, game on!
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