Tomorrow, November 11th, is Armistice Day. A lot of people have forgotten this, and that's due to the government changing the name to Veterans Day. The word "armistice" means a stopping of war by mutual agreement - that is, a peace. A "veteran" is someone who served in the military. Obviously, these are two very different things.
Armistice Day is the anniversary of the day in which peace was declared between the Allies and the Central Powers at the end of World War I in 1918. (You might remember this being mentioned in school - the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month - ring any bells?) That's what the day celebrates - an end to war. And isn't that something worth celebrating?
By changing the name to Veterans Day, it changes the entire attitude. Rather than celebrating peace, the day now celebrates those who fight in wars (or rather, those who have fought in wars). By changing the name, it's like we're giving up on peace, and considering it as an unattainable goal. There will be never be peace, but there will always be people who fight in wars, so let's celebrate them. By calling the day Veterans Day, you're acknowledging that. After all, World War I was the Great War, the war to end all wars. And clearly it didn't do that. So let's give up on the idea of peace, and instead celebrate those who engage in war. It's seriously messed up.
By the way, most of the rest of the world still calls it Armistice Day (or Remembrance Day). It's only the United States that does stupid shit like change the name. So tomorrow, wish people a happy Armistice Day.
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