FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON - November 10 - A veterans' organization ask the nation to remember the original intent of Veterans Day.
The original Armistice Day ended World War I on November 11, 1918, but not before nearly 30 million soldiers had been killed or wounded, and over seven million taken prisoner.
Congress responded to a universal hope that this would never happen again and passed a resolution calling for "...exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding...inviting the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches...with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples." Congress later resolved November 11 was to be "...a day dedicated to the cause of world peace."
Of the many veterans' organizations in the U.S., one exists specifically to carry out the original purpose of Armistice Day, now celebrated as Veterans' Day. In word as well as action, Veterans For Peace, a national organization with 120 chapters, is dedicated to the cause of peace.
"Unfortunately Veterans Day has turned into a day to support war rather than a day to reflect on the horrors of war and the need to work for peace," said Veterans For peace Executive Director Michael McPhearson. "Veterans For Peace has over 120 chapters around the country, many of whom will be commemorating veterans day by marching in traditional parades, conducting solemn ceremonies and vigils to give an alternative view about war and the meaning of the day," McPhearson went on to say.
"Our statement of purpose is clear and direct when it says we intend to 'abolish war as an instrument of national policy.' We want this generation of veterans to be the last," said VFP president Elliott Adams.
The former Army paratrooper and Viet Nam veteran added, "We not only speak out for peace, our organization works towards it every single day. We will continue to do so and in fact increase our efforts as VFP seeks to raise awareness of the human and monetary cost of war in the face of the global economic crisis."
Please visit www.veteransforpeace.org to learn more about VFP Veterans Day activities.
CONTACT: Veterans For Peace
Michael T. McPhearson, 314 303-8874
Elliott Adams, 518 284-2048
Veterans For Peace was founded in 1985 and includes veterans of all eras and wars from the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), World War II, the Korean, Vietnam, Gulf and current Iraq wars as well as other conflicts cold or hot. It has participated in every major demonstration against the war in Iraq. Our collective experience tells us wars are easy to start and hard to stop and that those hurt are often the innocent. VFP is represented at the UN as an official Non-Governmental Organization (NGO).
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