Honor the Soldier, Condemn the War

World War I: It was supposed to be The War to End All Wars. It wasn’t. Fighting raged until the predetermined end time of 11 a.m. CET on November 11, 1918, with nearly 11,000 casualties—dead, missing, and injured, including some 3,500 Americans—on that final bloody day.

In 1938, Armistice Day, “a day dedicated to the cause of world peace,” was designated an official holiday. So, at the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, people and officials in many nations still pause to remember those who have died in the prosecution of that war and of other destructive wars since then. The American holiday has since been expanded to include fallen veterans of all wars, but at its core it remains a clarion call for peace and an end to military conflict.

Our military veterans offered their lives and mental and physical health in service to the nation, and the nation has let too many down—from healthcare to home and food insecurity to the need for lifelong support services. We need to care for our veterans, and follow through on promises made to them. Even more, our leaders need to consider the human, societal, and environmental costs of war before embarking on future military action.

In the spirit of that 1938 designation, PDA honors our veterans by working for peace, advocating for domestic policies that uplift and empower all Americans, and preserving the democratic principles and processes at the foundation of our system of government.

Veterans, we salute your service,

Debra Schrishuhn for the PDA National Team