thanks

Thank You.

| Betsy

No matter if you call today Veterans Day or Armistice Day or Remembrance Day, just remember to say thank you to a veteran today. (Confused by all these names? Go learn more here.) No matter what you call it, it’s still about paying tribute to veterans who have given their lives for their countries.

According to the US Census, there were 23.7 million veterans in the United States. Chances are you’re pretty darn near one right now, so thank them.

Not all veterans look like those lovely men above snuggling in cozy lapghans either. If you’re not sure what’s going on in the world military-wise (seeing that the military produces veterans), go read something on this list for a start:

*At War: New York Times blog
*Guardian: Afghanistan
*Reuters: Iraq: Bearing Witness
*The Age: Afghanistan
*United States Department of Defense

Then, armed with knowledge, go say thank you. They work to protect you (outside of foreign policy issues or whatever), at the end of the day, that’s the basis of their job. Every day. While you fight with the copier or fall asleep in meetings or fill in yet another spreadsheet. They have more at risk than a broken fingernail or struggling with formatting that makes no sense in MS Office.

Not sure how this day came to be? Here’s a quick lesson, text taken from here.

HOW IT STARTED:
In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…”

The original concept for the celebration was for a day observed with parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11:00 a.m.

(But there was no hoopla. The hoopla came later after all the naming of people to committees and obscure laws. In short, the hoopla began later.)

THE HOOPLA!:
The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on October 25, 1971. It was quite apparent that the commemoration of this day was a matter of historic and patriotic significance to a great number of our citizens, and so on September 20th, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-97 (89 Stat. 479), which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11, beginning in 1978. This action supported the desires of the overwhelming majority of state legislatures, all major veterans service organizations and the American people.

Veterans Day continues to be observed on November 11, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls. The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to November 11 not only preserves the historical significance of the date, but helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day: A celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.

Completely unrelated: Knitting for Good! was published one year ago today! Exciting!

Thank You.

| Betsy

You’ll have to turn up your speakers to hear this properly. It’s been transferred from VHS, and is a 1993 performance by 10,000 Maniacs at the inauguration of President Clinton. This morning I read that already this year there have been 219 American soldier deaths this year in Afghanistan, up 41% from all of 2008. And I’m sitting here in this coffeeshop surrounded by other somewhat sleepy people drinking my coffee and waking up. You can hear the Death Cab for Cutie song playing in between the sounds of the espresso machine and cash till.

And I’m catching up on the news and thinking about 1993, the year I graduated from high school. And where I hoped to be at this point in my life, where I hoped the world to be at this point in my life, and how the latter part of those hopes has gone pear-shaped. And I take an extra minute to enjoy the feeling of safety and peace and everydayness of my morning. I sip my red-eye (with light brew, natch) and catch up on what’s happening around the world and remember that these are days– we can take our days now to work towards a better future.

And I’m infinitely thankful for all the people who are fighting battles far away from home, wishing to have a nice quiet morning in the coffeeshop or with their families. This quiet moment of tranquility is for them. May they soon have days filled with laughter until they break.





These are the days you’ll remember.
Never before and never since, I promise, will the whole world be warm as this.
And as you feel it, you’ll know it’s true that you are blessed and lucky.
It’s true that you are touched by something that will grow and bloom in you.

These are the days you’ll remember.
When May is rushing over you with desire to be part of the miracles you see in every hour.
You’ll know it’s true that you are blessed and lucky.
It’s true that you are touched by something that will grow and bloom in you.

These are days.

These are the days you might fill with laughter until you break.
These days you might feel a shaft of light make its way across your face.
And when you do you’ll know how it was meant to be.
See the signs and know their meaning.
It’s true, you’ll know how it was meant to be.
Hear the signs and know they’re speaking to you, to you.

Lyrics from here.