To the editor:
Glen Roth's Viewpoint last Tuesday ("Combining Veterans Day and Election Day." (11/13) cited a serious problem and offered an honest solution that I happen to oppose. Roth sadly, but accurately, observed that "the meaning behind [Veterans Day] has been lost to many." Yet, we won't solve things by stripping the holiday of further significance by removing its historical connections to the end of the Great War and combining it with another noble but entirely independent event. Instead, we should encourage individuals to talk with and thank the veterans they might know; let them know how much we appreciate their contributions and sacrifices. How many of you had a grandfather who served in World War II or a father who served in Vietnam? Do you know where they served, beyond a generic "the Pacific"? Ask them and honor them. (It's still not too late for a belated exchange this year.)
Rather than trying to combine two separate things in an attempt to get more bang for you buck, retain the independent significance of each and honor these special days for the unique places they hold in American history. We should not fool ourselves into associating two disparate days because of their mere proximity on a calendar.
