I used to really like 60 Minutes, that Sunday evening news-y program. It used to be hard hitting and thoughtful. The years have softened the edges, sadly, and they have not been kind to Andy Rooney ("A Few Minutes With Andy Rooney") either. I have thought for quite some time that Andy should retire.
Yesterday, however, he presented the most thoughtful bit on Veterans Day that I have heard in quite some time. He talked about his buddies from WWII, and the ones who didn't come back. He said that he didn't really think more of them on Veterans Day than he did on any other day, and he suspected most folks were pretty much the same. There is just so much remembering one can do, he said. And he is right.
So why have Veterans Day at all? you ask. Here was the kernel of the idea I liked. "So that we can plan for peace." So that we can dream of a time when young people won't have to die.
What if we took Veterans Day and created a whole slew of "bridge building" programs, between Jews and Arabs, Blacks and the KKK, criminals and the victims. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day has sort of become our national day of volunteering. How about if Veterans Day became our national day for building bridges.
One day a year won't bring peace, now or ever. But it is a small contribution, and Yes, every small contribution counts.
We do hope you were able to embrace your loved ones during this holiday.
0 comments:
Post a Comment