The shootings at Fort Hood, Texas, last week have cast a pall over Veterans Day. Maj. Nidal Hasan allegedly killed 13 people and wounded 29. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama will likely send more troops to Afghanistan by January, and troops are still stationed in Iraq where the violence seems to have subsided but the country is still in a volatile state.
It all serves as a reminder of the importance of the U.S. military in defending our freedoms and preserving our interests. If most people don’t take time to think about our men and women in uniform, and the tasks accomplished by current and previous generations of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen, today would be a good day to start. This is Veterans Day.
Nov. 11, 1918, was the day the big guns fell silent to end World War I. The now famous 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month signaled the end of four years of the most horrible warfare the world had seen to that time. It was so bad, it was called the war to end all wars. If only. In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11 Armistice Day.
Though the day started out to honor World War I veterans, the seeds of World War II were planted in the Treaty of Versailles, signed by the allies against Germany in June 1919. By the end of World War II, many millions more veterans needed recognition and, on June 1, 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower signed into law Veterans Day and Nov. 11 became a day to honor all veterans.
We all owe veterans a debt of gratitude for their immense sacrifice. While most of us go about our daily lives, they are in war zones, manning ships, flying aircraft or home safely from current and previous wars. Some veterans come home through Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, where all veterans killed in action return for burial. Some end up in Walter Reed Army Hospital with wounds and scars of battle. Others appear to have come home unscathed but what they carry in their memories will be with them for life.
We ask a lot from our men and women in uniform and they never fail to deliver. We’ll use this day to honor all veterans but, really, every day is Veterans Day.
Editorials
Editorial: Honor America's veterans today
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Editorial: AHS grad rates moving up, must be pushed ever higher
A diploma is a must, but it has to mean something. Anderson High School must do this the right way, not cutting corners and passing students through classes, but making them accountable for learning the subject matter.
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Editorial: With changes to program, why not begin recycling?
The public has to understand the importance of recycling aluminum and steel cans, cardboard, glass, newspapers and certain plastics. Besides minimizing a community’s waste, recycling saves energy, natural resources and the environment.
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Editorial: Reality returns after Super Bowl mania
While we loved what the Super Bowl did for our reputation, it’s time to get back to the real world. Let’s recap the lost week.
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You Said It: About contract, 'Teen Mom,' State of the City
Each Monday, The Herald Bulletin publishes “You Said It,” a compilation of reader comments from www.theheraldbulletin.com, coupled with responses by the newspaper’s editorial board.
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Editorial: Smith speech shows mayor aiming high
The bottom line in Mayor Kevin Smith’s State of the City address Tuesday during the Anderson Rotary Club’s luncheon at Anderson Country Club was simple: To attract investment, you have to make investments.
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Editorial: Bill offered by state Senate honors Fourth Amendment
No law is ever going to rid domestic situations of their subjectivity, but people have a right to be secure in their homes, and the police need to keep this in mind when they come knocking.
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Editorial: Burton's retirement was overdue
Dan Burton has been a fixture in Indiana politics for nearly a half century. A staunch Republican, Burton made waves in the Statehouse and in Congress, but now it’s over. Burton recently announced his retirement and will not seek re-election in Indiana’s District 5.
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Editorial: Tempered excitement for call-center jobs is prudent
Immediately after city officials announced the location of a new call center in Anderson on Jan. 25, the “Yeah, buts ...” started.
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Editorial: Trigger law would give parents too much power
If the state is going to push for charter schools, it has to be a measured action with plenty of debate. There is a reason why the term trigger-happy has negative connotations. It means a knee-jerk reaction with little thought.
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You Said It: About Grandview, new Colts coach and the APA incident
The Anderson Parks board has created a committee to study options for Grandview Golf Course and its restaurant. (Article published Jan. 17.)
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