Let’s have a day to honor vets

The University has been named the best institution for veterans in California by U.S. News and World Report, due in part to the University’s participation with federal initiatives helping veterans and active-duty personnel apply, pay for and pursue a degree.

That we are the only California university to be on the U.S. News and World Report’s 2015 Best Colleges for Veterans list is proudly displayed on the University’s website.

And yet despite our pride in this recognition, the University’s affiliation with the Church of Brethren, which believes in pacifism, seems to interfere with the traditional celebration of Veteran’s Day – currently not a day off for students, faculty and staff here.

The Church believes in practicing peaceful living and writes on its website that “whether the conflict involves warring nations, racial discord, theological disputes, personal disagreement, or mere misunderstanding, Brethren listen conscientiously, seek guidance in the scriptures, and work toward reconciliation.”

Being such a great institution for veterans, on the one hand, the message of supporting veterans is a little confused by our not honoring them by taking off on the federal holiday dedicated to showing them our gratitude for their service.

Honoring and thanking veterans, we believe, does not violate ULV’s pacifist roots, and it does not mean we support violence or war.

Veteran’s Day is simply a holiday meant to show gratitude for those who are willing to sacrifice their lives to keep the rest our lives safe and peaceful.

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Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the Campus Times Editorial Board.

1 COMMENT

  1. I disagree with your statement that: “the University’s affiliation with the Church of Brethren, which believes in pacifism, seems to interfere with the traditional celebration of Veteran’s Day.”
    Just a couple of thoughts ~ La Verne College and the Church of the Brethren have not been officially affiliated since 1933. In my experience it has been the ‘least Brethren’ of the Brethren Colleges, particularly in the past thirty years.
    Secondly, there are MANY Church of the Brethren members who are veterans, who worked as conscientious objectors, and who were neither vets nor had the option of conscientious objector status.
    I don’t think the Church of the Brethren has anything to do with the University of La Verne academic calendar.

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