What's the best way to honor veterans for their service?
Posted at 6:00 AM on November 11, 2009
by Eric Ringham
(14 Comments)
Filed under: Culture, Security
Today is Veterans Day, when the United States pauses to recognize the contributions of those who have served in the military. What's the best way to honor veterans for their service?
To honor the veterans, thank them and remember the price they pay. Don't go about today as normal until you remember why and how we are free. -Kalena, Shoreview
If you really want to honor veterans, hire them. We vets have leadership and problem-solving skills that are often ignored by the private sector. -Wade, St. Joe
As a French national living in MN, I would like to remind your audience that 11/11 is a very important date for Europeans. Thank you. -Fabrice Forsans (French in MN since 2004)
Celebrate Armistice Day anniversary with Sen. Franken and vets of all eras at Brit's Pub, 6:30 Pm, specials, period music too. Details on their website. -Nancy, St Louis Park
Make sure that their needs are met, that we remain faithful to looking after them, and that they lack for nothing. -Michael Kenneth Ireland
Stop wasting the lives of current service-people on conflicts in which we have little hope of "succeeding." -Bill Wesen
Comments (14)
Some great answers here, and a lot of MPR listeners that care about veterans as their fellow citizens.
Want to discuss the issues relevant to veterans on Saturday?
Join DFL candidates for governor at a candidate forum at the Center for Changing Lives, 2400 Park Avenue in Minneapolis, 2-4 PM Saturday, 14 Nov 2009. Free and open to the public.
More details at www.mndflvets.org
Nine candidates committed to discussing public policy issues relevant to military veterans, families, and survivors; active military, reserve, and National Guard.
Forum sponsors are DFL Veterans Caucus and SD61 DFL.
I tend to side with Tim. It is a risky job but many jobs are risky. I used to be in a profession where there was risk to life and limb for an hour or two per day. I spent many years doing something that benefited society. I didn't earn as much as somebody in the armed forces; I didn't get special recognition; I didn't get the benefits during and after. If they were doing it as unpaid volunteers then it would be special, but otherwise it's a risky, paid job like being a firefighter or a construction worker. You know what you're getting yourself in for when you join and that's part of signing up.
We should acknowledge the truth and wisdom offered by those veterans like Ms. Nelson's dad, about the wars we send them to ...
Nowadays, Dad speaks of war only when the news is on and he hears something about Iraq, Afghanistan or some other embattled part of the world. He often remarks succinctly on the futility of war. With personal experience and the perspective of age, he puts it plainly:
"War is stupid."
and then stop lying to ourselves about why we're sending them.
Never ever ever again send any more of our brave young people to fight in a war that isn't absolutely necessary.
Thank you to all of our service men and women. I know that Freedom is not Free and thank you for your service on our behalf. We should make sure that our service families never have to worry about bills while their loved ones are away serving. And no veterans should ever be homeless!
Drafted soldiers deserve thanks. The rest of them are just doing their jobs and indeed, getting paid. Just because there is higher risk, it doesn't mean they are volunteers. It's the deal they agreed to, for whatever reasons. No thanks are required for this.
We can best honor our veterans by bringing home all troops on active duty immediately, and never -- I mean NEVER -- getting our nation involved in an UNJUST WAR ever again. Jingoistic slogans like "Freedom isn't free," "Like your freedom? Thank a vet," etc. make me queasy -- and they make many veterans queasy as well. Such talk implies that in order to remain a "free people," we must slaughter our sons and daughters by the thousands, and citizens of other nations by the hundreds of thousands every few years. No war that has been fought during my lifetime has preserved my freedom or protected me from harm. This is not in any way a diminution of the sacrifices our troops have made and continue to make. My daughter is a veteran.
I think just saying thanks. I know I don't do that enough.
To the vets: thanks for your service.
Thanking them for the service is great, but lets face the fact that so many veteran's go without the mental health and financial assistance they need upon returning home. As someone mentioned already, 1/3 of veteran's are homeless... it makes me sick to think that people who put their life on the line get treated so poorly by the country they dedicated their life to serve. So lets honor our veterans, but lets also start making some noise and let the people in charge know that veteran's need support.
Say "Thank You." And then, listen. Every vet is different; listen closely and you'll find out how they, individually, want to be thanked. Maybe just you listening is enough.
Thank them for their service and sacrifice. And, as has already been noted, ensure they are cared for with dignity and respect throughout their lives.
By treating the returning vets needs with more dignity. . .If 1/3 of the homeless men are vets; than there is something wrong with our commitment to aiding them in the return to a civilan life.
They have served us and we need to return the loyalty with greater services to them.
Stop glorifying them as heroes. Since the guilt of Vietnam and 911, everyone who puts on a uniform is a hero., This is not right, it diminishes the true heroes. Let's thank them for their service but layoff the hero worship, They are embarrassed by it and you should be too,
If this country was serious about honoring & memorializing those who've served their country & died for our freedom, ALL non-essential businesses would close for the day, and every municipality would have a parade, followed by a day of reflection & picnicking in our nations cemeteries, military & otherwise.
None of our "national holidays" have a lot of meaning anymore, since business & events rarely cease for a day of reflection or celebration.
| November 2009 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 | |||||
Master Archive
Recent Entries
- How have your views on nuclear power changed over the years?
- Where do you stand on requiring Minnesotans to produce a photo ID to vote?
- Now that the caucuses are over, what are your three most important issues?
- What living writer might still be read 200 years from now?
- What do you think of Minnesota's system of party caucuses?
- How do you think the United States and other countries should respond to the situation in Syria?
- What do you think of constitutional amendments as a way to make policy?
- What changes would you like to see in campaign finance laws?
- What role should evaluations play in teacher job security?
- If you were energy czar, how would you change U.S. energy policy?
Public Insight Network
The Public Insight Network draws upon your experiences to help shape our coverage.More
Categories
Services
In The Spotlight
-
Sound Learning
Looking for ways to ensure your students are doing quality research from credible sources? Sound Learning is a launching point to Minnesota Public Radio's content on the Web. -
The Current Music Blog
Your daily note for good music, news and pop culture. With attempted jokes.
- Become a Member
- Member Connect Accounts
- Leadership Circle
- Sustaining Members
- Member Discounts
- Become a Sponsor
- Tax Information
- Planned Giving
- Vehicle Donation
- Donate Stock
