Memorial to veterans should be observed every day of year

November 11th, 2007 · No Comments

Once a year on Veterans Day, all Americans bow their heads to say a prayer, display the flag, watch a parade, and applaud a memorial speech or some other tribute honoring all those brave men and women who have given their lives to protect our freedom and security. And then we forget it all for another 364 days.

Memorials to fallen soldiers, sailors, and airmen are seen in every city, state, and nation. Books, poetry, and plays are written about the horror of war and the millions of lives that are lost or maimed. But we do virtually nothing to stop the carnage — except to bolster our military might.

There is only one valid memorial that can truly honor all those brave souls who have given their lives in wars — and that is to work much harder at making peace than we and the rest of the world do at making war. Peace treaties and arms treaties are not the way. All they provide is false security. Weapons don’t make wars. People who are oppressed, starving, or downtrodden do. And so do those power-hungry madmen who seek even more power.

We should concentrate on positive peace programs and apply citizen pressure to leaders of the U.S. and all nations to make peace a permanent reality. Maybe the most important step is to improve communications with all nations, through satellites, exchanges of news media personnel, and an accelerated exchange of teachers and students.

That should include the development of an international language, beginning with a simplified world sign language, something I have proposed often in columns, commentaries, and speeches. We should apply strong pressure on those nations that oppress any segment of their populations until they open their borders and grant freedom of movement.

Never before in American history has the need for “pressure for peace” been more important than it is today in the midst of what is an international war on terrorism, which has been made even more serious by the fact that the enemy has no nation of its own but is scattered in regions throughout the world.

Since a clash in religious philosophy is the basis for our grave differences, it is evident that the world’s various religions must take the lead in banishing terrorism and seeking that elusive world peace. That’s why I have often appealed for the formation of a World Council or Religions to begin the peace process.

In the meantime, we might consider joining with all nations, friend and enemy alike, to honor those who have died in all the battles of the past and the present. We might start the process by inviting all nations to establish a worldwide Veterans Day. And it we worked at daily, it would be a living memorial the human race could eventually be proud of.

That’s why I believe that every day of every year should be Veterans Day — with the hope that no more new names will ever be posted on our war memorials.

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