Armistice Day, 2007

Armistice Day is called "Veterans Day" now, at least in America.

Here's some of what I wrote on this day, a few years ago.

I still read old Pogo comics now and again. Here's what a character in one said, on this date back in 1953: "Y'know, it seems to be me this is all backwards....We, Ever'body, ought to keep our big mouths shut all the whole year long so's we'd have time to think of two minutes worth of somethin. to say on the eleventh day of November."

He was talking about Armistice Day, a day with many names across the world. Just a few are Veteran's Day in the USA and Remembrance Day in Canada.

Armistice Day was the day that marked the end of the Great War. We call it World War I now. The fighting ended at 11 a.m., November 11, 1918: the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

In light of what happened on September 11 of 2001, and what is going on today, I think the following quote is appropriate:

"Human nature will not change. In any future great national trial, compared to the men of this, we shall have as weak and as strong, as silly and as wise, as bad and as good."
Abraham Lincoln, Response to a serenade, November 10, 1864.

(from "Armistice Day")