It’s Veteran’s Day, a day to celebrate and honor those willing to stand as guardians of peace. As President Calvin Coolidge said, “The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten.”
As we all settle into our decks and backyards this weekend, thankful for a last semi-warm day before winter takes hold, let us not forget the reason we're firing up the barbecues (and tossing on corn and Portobello burgers!) and relaxing in the early autumn sunset (and perhaps even getting a day off). Today is a day for honoring and respecting our often unsung heroes in the military. While some may associate the holiday with the turmoils of war, it is important to know that today is a day of peace. Originally coined "Armistice Day" in 1918 to celebrate the ending of World War I, Veteran's Day is an affirmation of peace among citizens and war-fighters alike.
You might be asking yourself, where is the intersection of veganism and Veterans Day? Well, when you think about it, the correlation is pretty evident. If the holiday to commemorate our veterans began and now continues as a day of laying down arms, of embracing peace, then the decision to adopt a plant-based diet falls right in line with it. Remember, whatever your reason for choosing to eat vegan may be, it remains a decision in which we choose peace. We are all very lucky to live in a country where we have the opportunity to choose peace over violence, tranquility over war.
But today especially let us honor and appreciate the sentinels and guardians of our freedom: our veterans. It is because of their willingness to wage war both internal and external, in austere environments both foreign and domestic, as a means to defend our American liberty that we are able to live in peace. While America appears to be ever-tumultuous as the days pass, it's pretty remarkable that we are able to live in a nation wrought in so much freedom that we can actually choose what we eat! We owe a debt of gratitude to our service members for protecting our distinctly American way of life and the eclectic mélange of identities found therein.
So remember this weekend when you are enjoying the weekend with some veggie dogs or whatever healthy and delicious recipe you've dug up in the Health Hub, remember to show your appreciation and respect to our veterans who will gladly work through the weekend to preserve your right to enjoy it.
I'd like to dedicate this entry to my father in law CW5 Andrew Fairfax who served two combat tours and who was fighting for our freedom since before I could think to join him, and his son, my brother in law, PFC Brandon Fairfax who is gearing up for a deployment this month with the US Marine Corps. {myriausz}
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