I'm of the firm belief that come November, Remembrance Day is both the first and only priority. Quite frankly, I strongly believe that November 11 is more important than the birth of Christ. Don't get me wrong, I know that the day of Christ's birth is important, but it's because of our veterans that we are able to celebrate it freely without fears of repercussions or persecution. That's why I deem Remembrance Day to be more significant. You don't have to agree, this is just my own personal belief.
From November 1-11, there shouldn't be any holiday advertising. The focus should be on our veterans past, and our military personnel of the present. When I see those holiday commercials pop up the moment November gets here, it makes me wonder if corporations have decided that the need to buy gifts is more important than the need to remember and say thank you to our vets. Keep November 1-11 for Remembrance Day. Once November 12 hits, if companies want to go bat-shit Christmas crazy, they may. Just remember first.
We see all sorts of commercials trying to get people to buy their holiday goodies before December gets here. I only ever see one that speaks for our veterans, unless I'm watching History Television. That's a station that has its priorities in check. Plenty could be learned from that channel, but do people really want to?
I had to go pick up a few things this morning, and I won't say what store I was in, but it had already puked Christmas. For crying out loud, it's only November 4! Sure, there were poppy boxes at the check-out counters, but if I had blinked, I would have missed them. Maybe not, though, because I'm a poppy hoarder who seeks out those donation boxes the way compulsive hoarders hunt down good deals. But the people who aren't like me? They might have missed them.
When will people learn that remembering and thanking our veterans is most important? Sure, many people pin on their poppies, but do they really understand the importance anymore, especially when the need to remember is buried under stacks of holiday flyers and early-playing Christmas music? How many people, now with Christmas on the brain, thanks to the advanced advertising onslaught, actually take the time to stop to thank a veteran? Not nearly enough.
Please, don't get buried under the wrong priority. Remember what's important, and the people, the survivors, the ones who didn't make it, those who still fight today. Refuse to let them be forgotten.
For more, please refer to my original 11 Days of Remembrance miniseries from November 2011.
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