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To the Editor: At the end of World War I, the so-called ‘War to end All Wars,’ Nov. 11 was recognized as the day to remember and to honor all those killed and injured in wars: soldiers, civilians, men, women and children. It was called Armistice Day and celebrated annually on Nov. 11 in many countries, including ours. After 35 years and another World War, in 1954 the U.S. Congress changed Nov. 11 to Veterans Day and the focus became soldiers and veterans of the U.S. military. Gone was the recognition of the many ways that all people suffer from war and violence. Gone was the emphasis on No More Wars and the need to stop humans from slaughtering each other, especially as technology advances. Our societal narrative was shifted to one that we must make war in the futile attempt to “make ourselves safe.” In recent decades, militarism and a “warrior culture” have become even more insidious. So has our sense of the U.S. as all-powerful and an exceptional nation. Making the distinction between Veterans Day and Armistice Day this year is more critical than ever. Historically there have been many voices that warned of the combination of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry. In his farewell address in 1961, President Dwight Eisenhower, a former general, warned us of the corrupting influence of the “military-industrial complex,” i.e., the network of contracts and flows of money and resources between defense contractors, the Pentagon and politicians. Eisenhower warned that the federal government’s collaboration with an alliance of military and industrial leaders created a disastrous rise of misplaced power. This Armistice Day, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, the Syracuse Chapter of Veterans for Peace (VFP) and the Beyond War and Militarism Committee (BW&M), a joint committee of the Syracuse Peace Council and the CNY Solidarity Coalition, call upon all to join us at First Unitarian Universalist Society, 109 Waring Road, from 10:30 to noon to Reclaim Armistice Day. Once again, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh, as he has done for the past seven years, has issued a proclamation declaring the 11th day of November 2025 to be Armistice Day for Peace in the City of Syracuse. We will come together to remember the millions of civilians killed, wounded, widowed, imprisoned, orphaned and displaced, as well as the veterans who were killed or deeply wounded — physically and/or mentally — by past and current wars. We will collectively reflect and renew our commitment to work for an end to all wars and to foster justice and peace, at home and abroad. VFP’s mission, in short, is Peace at Home and Peace Abroad. However, the reality we face in 2025 is “a movement and regime that exalts nation and race and stands for a centralized autocratic, militaristic government,” which is the dictionary definition of fascism. Our present sociopolitical reality did not magically appear nor is it the sole result of the Trump administration. Our Armistice Day speakers will lead us to examine some of the decisive beliefs and practices that have gotten us to this point of crisis. We have inflicted death and destruction upon so many “others,” including the attempted genocide of our Indigenous neighbors, our willingness to impose slavery and deny and/or ignore its continual devastating societal impact, our “forever” imperial wars across the globe and the explosion of the need for people to emigrate and to seek refuge. In this time of great political strife, it is imperative that we strengthen our communities and all stay united in our quest for peace at home and peace abroad. This event is free and open to all. Ronald L. VanNorstrand USAF 1965-1969 Syracuse
