We celebrate veterans this week
But what do they celebrate on Veterans Day?
This week we celebrate veterans across the nation and across this county. National chain restaurants will offer them free meals and there will be parades in their honor. It’s the same here in Plumas County — with the annual parade in Greenville and each community hosting various events all designed to honor veterans. But while we celebrate them, it might be hard for many veterans to find cause for celebration.
One of our own here at Feather Publishing is a Vietnam veteran — Will Farris. He resides down the Canyon and periodically writes about the happenings in those parts. His columns are always well received. This week he penned a piece about attending a reunion in recognition of the 50th anniversary of Bravo Company’s arrival in Vietnam. It’s a bit different from his postings about his malfunctioning water system, or the marauding bears that favor his apple trees. As a Vietnam veteran, Will’s homecoming was a far different experience than returning military personnel receive today. We recommend that you read his adjacent column — it is well worth the time spent and just one small thing that we can do to recognize those who have served.
This week many Americans will enjoy a day off from work or school, and because Nov. 11 falls on a Friday, that means a three-day weekend. Let’s take some of that time to think of the veterans we know, and go out of our way to say “thank you” or offer some other token of appreciation. Veterans from World War II, Korea and Vietnam, as well as the more recent combat zones, have all come home to different receptions, but the horrors that they experienced and the sacrifices that they made are universal.
The election is over or is it?
It’s the day after the election, and we should have a new president — just as we should have a new city councilman in Portola and a new supervisor to represent Eastern Plumas. But, we may not know the outcome. Nationally, it’s possible that we could have a replay of the 2000 drama ala Bush and Gore, and locally, because of our all-mail balloting, votes will be counted through the week to account for postmarks. The local races may be too close to call.
Let’s just hope that whatever the outcome, we can move forward (particularly nationally) and put this contentious, embarrassing presidential race behind us. It’s been said ad nauseam by political pundits and one of the candidates, that we will need to come together as a nation and heal. And they are right, but saying it will be a lot easier than actually accomplishing it.