“LEST WE FORGET”
Election Day is one of the most important days in American History because it provides an opportunity for citizens to exercise their Democratic right to vote. Election day has been occurring in the United States (U.S.) since the late 1800s and November was chosen as the month for when Election Day occurs, largely out of cultural farming conveniences (https://www.history.com/news/why-is-election-day-a-tuesday-in-november). Another important historical day in November is Veterans Day, which is an American holiday dedicated to honoring Americans who have and are currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Despite the importance of Election Day and Veterans Day many people take the freedoms that we enjoy that are often associated with these important days for granted, largely because these freedoms have become a “way of life”. However, in other parts of the world basic freedoms are still being fought for.
It has been said, “Freedom is not Free”. It has also been said, “Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it”. Acknowledging important days like Election Day and Veterans Day are wonderful collective ways of reflecting on the sacrifices made through the heroism of others….“Lest We Forget”.
WAR AND RUMORS OF WARS
“Lest we forget” is a phrase commonly used in remembrance of soldiers who lost their lives in warfare. The phrase is believed to have originated from the poem, “Recessional” by Rudyard Kipling. For decades many from around the world have made collective efforts to celebrate those who lost their lives to war, whether those efforts are on Veterans Day in the U.S. or on Remembrance Day in the Commonwealth of Nations.
Wars and conflicts have existed for centuries. Some of the most common reasons that have led to war are: economical gain, territorial Gain, religion, nationalism, revenge,political power, civil war, revolutionary war, and defensive war. The deadliest war in American history was the Civil War which was fought between 1861-1865. It is estimated that roughly 2% of the population (an estimated 620,000 men) lost their lives during the Civil War. Some of the other deadliest wars that Americans have fought in include: (1) World War II, 1941-1946, (2)World War I, 1917-1918, (3) Vietnam, 1964-1973, (4) Korean War, 1950-1953, (5) Mexican-American War, 1846-1848 (6) Iraq, 2003-2011, (7) Revolutionary War, 1775-1783, (8) Spanish-American War, 1898-1901, and the (9)Afghanistan, 2001-2021. According to the Pew Research Center, many young people are least in support of war and are more in support of efforts to secure peaceful resolutions through diplomacy and multilateral approaches. However, as desirable as this may sound, in some cases going to war may simply be inevitable.
On December 7, 1941, the Naval Station Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japanese Military force, which precipitated the entrance of the U.S. into World War II. Prior to this, the U.S. had remained neutral during the first two years of the war. In his 1967 inaugural address, then California Governor Ronald Reagan, said ” Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people. And those in world history who have known freedom and then lost it have never known it again”. Having the U.S. Armed Forces available to defend our country when it is unexpectedly attacked (such was the case at Pearl Harbor) is one of the many ways that the military helps to protect us and defend our freedoms. With the continual threat of a third World War looming in the world, it’s important to remember the sacrifices others have made for our freedoms, Lest We Forget.
EXERCISING OUR RIGHT TO VOTE
As of November 2022, the U.S.had a population exceeding 35.5 million. Additionally, in 2020 the U.S. population was an estimated 329.5 million. However, according to the U.S. Census Bureau 66.8% of citizens 18 years and older voted in the 2020 presidential election, which had the highest voter turnout of the 21st century. However, this still meant that nearly 35% of the U.S. population still did not vote, and the U.S. also still falls behind many other countries for registered voter turnout, which may make some wonder if our forefathers died in vain in an effort to give all Americans the equal right to vote.
The Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution extended the right to vote to men of all races. However, it was not until The Voting Rights Act of 1965, which was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson, that helped to remove legal barriers that were preventing African Americans from exercising their right to vote as guaranteed under the 15th Amendment. Additionally, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution granted American women the right to vote, a right known as women’s suffrage.
Susan B. Anthony was one of the individuals who helped form The National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA). She also remained at the forefront of the Women’s Suffrage Movement until her death. In one of her speeches she wrote the following:
– Speech in San Francisco (July 1871)
“If I could live another century! I do so want to see the fruition of the work for women in the past century. There is so much yet to be done, I see so many things I would like to do and say, but I must leave it for the younger generation. We old fighters have prepared the way, and it is easier than it was fifty years ago when I first got into the harness. The young blood, fresh with enthusiasm and with all the enlightenment of the twentieth century, must carry on the work.”
The U.S. 2016 presidential election was one of the most contentious U.S. elections of all times. At the end of the race, Donald Trump defeated former first lady, Senator,Secretary of State, and first female nominee of a major U.S. Party, Hillary Rodham Clinton, despite the fact that Clinton received more popular votes. Nonetheless, the dreams of Susan B. Anthony and many others were being actualized through the lives of Hillary Clinton and so many others throughout the decades. Despite all of her professional achievements in “breaking the glass ceiling“, I’ve personally known people who not only didn’t vote in the 2016 presidential election, but who consistently opt out of voting in nearly all political races. The reasons they give vary: from not feeling as if their vote would make a difference, being undecided as to who to vote for, and not really being interested in politics because they don’t think it really makes a difference in their lives.
American philosopher and psychologist William James once said,“No decision is, in itself, a decision”. Yes, although you may not willingly make a decision either for or against something, you are still inevitably making a decision to maintain a “status quo”, which could still have a negative impact on your life. We should never forget that if our forefathers had continuously made a habit out of going along with the “status quo”, we would not be enjoying many of the rights and freedoms that we do today.
