Posted by
Saltwater on Wednesday, October 07, 2009 11:46:39 AM
“Eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month”
The often quoted phrase denotes the time recognized as the end of World War I. Although combat raged on for another month between Turkey and Austria-Hungary, the armistice signed between Germany and the Allies marked the cessation of most hostilities. Based on President Woodrow Wilson's “Fourteen Points”, the armistice denoted was that it would take effect six hours after its signing. That happened when German negotiators reluctantly signed the document at 5:00AM on November 11, 1918. Thus began the ending of the Great War as it was then known.
Many of the Allied countries designated the anniversary of “Armistice Day” as day for annual reflection to remember the staggering human cost of those lost and honor those veterans who served. After World War II and Korea added millions to the ranks of combat veterans, there was a popular push to honor their sacrifices also, and the November 11th holiday was expanded to recognize all veterans. The United States renamed its national holiday to “Veterans Day”, while “Remembrance Day” became the official title in the United Kingdom and Canada.
The Veterans Day holiday fell into some disfavor in the U.S. during the 1970s, due in part to continued backlash from the war in Vietnam, and Congress moving the date to the fourth Monday in October as part of a uniform holiday legislation to have holidays become part of extended weekends. After outraged citizens complained, Veterans Day was reinstated to its rightful spot on the calendar in 1978.
A movement growing in popularity during the 1990s was taking two minutes for quiet reflection starting at 11:00AM to coincide with those guns falling silent so many years before. In 1999, singer-songwriter, Terry Kelly, was at a market when the store manager used the public address system to request that shoppers and employees take that two minutes of silent remembrance. One shopper, with small daughter in tow, insisted on speaking with the clerks during that period. The man's insensitivity enraged Kelly enough that he went home and penned his wonderful tribute, A Pittance of Time.
I bring this up a month early as a reminder, and call to action. Every day, young men and women are willing to risk all in defense of our freedom, yet many of their fellow citizens are becoming more and more like that lout Kelly encountered. Sadly, our nation seems to be slipping back into the apathy demonstrated 30 years ago. We cannot let that happen again. We have time to make a difference.
Tell your family. Ask your friends. Talk to your employer. Have your pastor, rabbi or priest speak out to the congregation. Implore everyone you encounter to take two minutes out of their busy schedules at 11:00AM this November 11th. Let there be a rolling thunder of silence across this great nation as we pause to remember, and honor, all those who have willingly sacrificed much more than two simple minutes on our behalf. Give that pittance of time.
Dennis P. O'Neil