by Robin Fiedler
It's a 21st-century political, or nationalistic, twist on President John F. Kennedy's "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." The "it" in this case is shopping.
Despite George Bush urging Americans to go shopping after 9/11 as a show of patriotism, he is not the originator of the concept. Kathy Roth-Douquet, co-author of AWOL: The Unexcused Absence of America's Upper Classes from Military Service - and How It Hurts Our Country, notes, "There's a reason why historically our government embraced the idea of the patriot as shopper. It stems from the Cold War competition with communism, and finding a way to make common cause between workers and capitalists." 
The original celebration of a WWI cease-fire in 1918 later turned into honoring all veterans in the 1950's. Scott Horton explains, "Originally, of course, it was Armistice Day, and it marked the moment of the 1918 ceasefire in the trenches of Europe, at 11:11 a.m. on the eleventh day of the eleventh month. As Veterans Day, the scope was widened." Horton is a bit disparaging about the growing trend of shopping on Veterans Day. He adds, "All of that cheapens what is and should be an important commemoration..."
He's right about the commemoration, but may not be about the cheapening unless we count all the retailers' discounts and sales offered on Veterans Day. Many malls sponsor parades and veterans' events at the same time as retail sales. As well, 2009's Veterans Day falls mid-week, so shopping traffic may be light while deals may be sweet.
The US has 23.2 million veterans as of 2008, and of those, 5.5 million are listed with disabilities, according to the US Census Bureau, and the total benefits for veterans reached $84.4 billion dollars of the 2008 Federal Budget. Strong consumerism indirectly creates a healthier government, ideally increasing availability of funds for benefits. Yes, that means taxes, but it also means someone's job, maybe even a vet's job. The Census Bureau estimates, there are 10.4 million "veterans 18 to 64 in the labor force in 2008."
More importantly, Facts for Features: Veterans Day 2009: Nov. 11 notes that 14.5% is the "percentage of owners of firms responding to the 2002 Survey of Business Owners who were veterans. Veteran business owners comprised an estimated 3 million" of the total business owners in the US. Then, of those 3 million vets who own businesses "nearly 7 percent of veteran business owners . . .were disabled from injuries or illnesses incurred during active military service," according to the US Census Bureau News. That's about 210,000 disabled vets with businesses who need our commerce, especially when economic times are uncertain.
I'm a realist, not a conservative or liberal. The idea of Buy Nothing Day is just as unreasonable as being too materialistic in our holiday shopping. Roth-Douquet says, "Do go shopping this Veterans Day. But thank a vet, too. And maybe consider doing more - give blood, recycle, plant a victory garden." I say if you are at a loss on how to honor veterans on Veterans Day, then shop at one of those 3 million veterans' businesses. You will directly give back to those who gave for us. Look up a veteran's business on the net, and shop.
Footnotes
Horton, Scott. "Veterans Day 2007." Harper's Magazine. 12 Nov. 2007. http://www.harpers.org/archive/2007/11/hbc-90001665
Roth-Douquet, Kathy. "Shopping can be Patriotic, but Citizenship Requires More." USA Today. 8 Nov. 2006. http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2006/11/shopping_can_be.html
United States Census Bureau. "Census Bureau Publishes First-Ever Reports on Veteran Entrepreneurs and Their Businesses" U.S. Census Bureau News. 3 July 2007. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/business_ownership/010337.html
United States Census Bureau. "Veterans Day 2009:Nov. 11. Facts for Features: US Census Bureau News. 13 Oct. 2009. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/pdf/cb09ff-21_veteransday.pdf
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One Response to “Veterans Day Sales and Patriotic Shopping”
Hello there, Happy Veteran's Day!!!
We only needed to wish America's twenty four million veterans a very happy veteran's day. Then lets me personally quote veteran's day quote which I like:
"Unless one says goodbye to what one loves, and unless one travels to completely new territories, one can expect merely a long wearing away of oneself ... :: Jean Dubuffet"...
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