# Veterans Day should be moved to today ... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 31, 2016, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-day-should-be-moved-to-today/770274 "2016-10-31T17:08:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-day-should-be-moved-to-today/770274/1 "2016-10-31T17:08:34Z")
In my humbel opinion they should change veterans day (November 11th) to today Oct 31st … Halloween. So they can legally say, “Trick or Treat” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-day-should-be-moved-to-today/770274/2 "2016-11-01T04:38:24Z")
It should double as Election Day, IMHO: folks who get the day off from work in the first half of November would have an easier time voting; and folks who want to hammer home the message that we have the right to vote thanks to our troops would have an easier time of _that_. So it’s pretty much a win-win. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-day-should-be-moved-to-today/770274/3 "2016-11-01T13:31:12Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > It should double as Election Day, IMHO: folks who get the day off from work in the first half of November would have an easier time voting; and folks who want to hammer home the message that we \*\*\*have the right to vote thanks to our troops \*\*\*would have an easier time of _that_. So it’s pretty much a win-win. Exactly when, where and how did our troops give African Americans and women and non-property owners and convicted felons the right to vote? The wars to accomplish that were brought about by civilians who had the courage to fight against the American government, not against the German or Japanese or Vietnamese or Korean or Russian or Nicraguan or El Salvadoran or Spanish or French or Iraqi or Afghan or Panamanian or Mexican or Grenadian governments, none of whom threatened in any way our right to vote… ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-day-should-be-moved-to-today/770274/4 "2016-11-01T14:25:27Z")
Maybe they mean the The Troops protect our current right to vote by keeping the country from being overrun by foreign dictators? That doesn’t sound plausible either. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-day-should-be-moved-to-today/770274/5 "2016-11-01T14:58:29Z")
I don’t get why people are keen to move Veteran’s Day from its historic day - Nov 11 wasn’t chosen at random after all. It was the end of WW1 (Armistice Day). I’m fine with making Election Day a federal holiday as well. Also Juneteenth. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-day-should-be-moved-to-today/770274/6 "2016-11-01T15:13:31Z")
I’ve never understood why we have Veterans’ Day, then a separate Memorial Day. I realize there’s a difference, but why not combine them on one day? ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-day-should-be-moved-to-today/770274/7 "2016-11-01T16:30:11Z")
You got a problem with getting another day off work? Why do you hate America? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-day-should-be-moved-to-today/770274/8 "2016-11-01T16:47:55Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I’ve never understood why we have Veterans’ Day, then a separate Memorial Day. I realize there’s a difference, but why not combine them on one day? Memorial Day honors those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and never came home to be veterans. They are entitled to be honored on their own, with dignity, lest that sacrifice be lost in the the rah-rah pro-military gung ho permeating America. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-day-should-be-moved-to-today/770274/9 "2016-11-01T17:49:32Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I’ve never understood why we have Veterans’ Day, then a separate Memorial Day. Historically they both grew out of different observances. Memorial Day grew out of ceremonies to decorate the graves of troops lost during the Civil War. The end of World War I led to an observance of the armistice ending it by most of the major parties. We kept our previously existing US-centric ceremony and joined Europe in the newer Armistice Day tradition. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-day-should-be-moved-to-today/770274/10 "2016-11-02T03:17:44Z")
Amazingly enough, they did try to relocate [Veteran’s Day to October in the 70s.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Monday_Holiday_Act) Why I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-day-should-be-moved-to-today/770274/11 "2016-11-02T04:54:34Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Maybe they mean the The Troops protect our current right to vote by keeping the country from being overrun by foreign dictators? > > That doesn’t sound plausible either. Ho Chi Minh? Saddam Hussein? Noriega? Nicaraguan tanks rollling through the streeets? ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-day-should-be-moved-to-today/770274/12 "2016-11-02T07:24:32Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Memorial Day honors those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and never came home to be veterans. They are entitled to be honored on their own, with dignity, lest that sacrifice be lost in the the rah-rah pro-military gung ho permeating America. My vote is to flip Veterans Day and Memorial Day. Memorial Day kicks off the summer. People _want_ to celebrate and have fun in the sun- beach, barbecues, mattress sales. There’s always a few voices demanding a respectful somber observance but it’s the start of summer, I can totally understand why it feels natural to plan some fun for the three day weekend. And since people are in the “Rah! Rah!” mood anyway, there are always plenty of ignorant (even if well intentioned) attempts to make Memorial day about the current very much alive troops. It better suits the mood of the barbecue. So, I say just go ahead and do it. Make Veterans Day the last Monday in May, let people wave the flag, honor the troops, and get great deals on big screen TVs. Move Memorial Day to November which feels naturally somber, probably why it’s when just about every other culture remembers their dead. Add to that, it’s just before Thanksgiving. Makes for a nice transition: Remember the fallen, then reflect upon your own blessings, _then_ get great deals on electronics. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-day-should-be-moved-to-today/770274/13 "2016-11-02T10:25:12Z")
Or you can go all out and do what we do here - have Memorial Day the day before Independence Day. You spend a day in mourning, with sad ceremonies and everything, and then _BAM_! Fireworks! ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-day-should-be-moved-to-today/770274/14 "2016-11-02T11:59:01Z")
Just curious, where is the ‘here’ you are referring to? Europe? Asia? South America? Can you give the curious a hint at least, please? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-day-should-be-moved-to-today/770274/15 "2016-11-02T12:07:40Z")
Alessan’s “here” is Israel. As mentioned, the US had a day for commemoration of the fallen before Armistice Day rolled in. The Brits did adopt 11/11 as Remembrance day (though in the UK they move the mourning to the nearest Sunday) but the US is not unique in having distinct commemorations – e.g. ANZAC Day for the Australians and New Zealanders.