Nov. 13th: A Seasonal Veteran

To celebrate Veteran’s Day this past weekend, the National Football League pulled out all the stops. Players wore camouflage gear, fans wore camouflage hats and t-shirts, and several players used a simple salute in their touchdown dances.

Salute to Service day, as it was known, was the NFL’s opportunity to commemorate those who have served our country and fought to allow us to play and watch football. Unfortunately, that notion was lost in the publicity and marketing of the event.

If you want to buy a hat, similar to the one worn by your favorite players, showing your favorite team’s logo on a camouflage backdrop, the price is $5 higher than if you were to buy the generic one. The same goes for jerseys, t-shirts, and anything else the NFL can get their hands on. Unfortunately, the only thing hidden by the camouflage gear was the intention and meaning of the holiday itself.

The reality is that Veterans Day has turned into a gimmick, rather than a legitimate opportunity to pay respects that are owed to the proud men and women who have given so much to each and every one of us who lives in this nation.

That isn’t to say that all celebrations of the holiday were selfish. There were several pregame ceremonies, both in the NFL as well as in the National Hockey League that honored soldiers and their families. This was, though, such a small part of the otherwise commercialized holiday.

The “holiday” didn’t stop just at the sports world. Many stores had Veteran’s Day sales, offering free shipping and discounts on their items storewide and site-wide throughout the weekend. Nothing says thank you to all of those who have forfeited years of their life to dedicate to this country quite like being able to buy your too-expensive camouflage hat at a discounted price!

Every day, we as Americans get the opportunity to live our lives because of the dedication of those who, over the past 250 years, have committed themselves to fighting for what is right. That fight has come in a multitude of forms. Some have used a gun to stand up to a bitter enemy, others have taken up the pen to fight against those who try to weaken us from within. Veteran’s Day is meant to be a moment, a 24 hour period, where we are able to reflect not only on the contributions that others have made to America, but also to think of the ways each of us can honor those individuals. While Veteran’s Day is specifically focused on those who have served in the United States Armed forces, it is also important to note that those sacrifices for this country come in a great many other forms.

So while we may choose to make the day one of touchdowns and sales, there are a multitude of ways, many far more meaningful, that we can commemorate and celebrate those who were willing to fight for our right to survive.

Thank you to all who serve and who continue to serve, so that we may continue to live our lives in peace.