Veterans Day is an important historical holiday which should be observed. Many colleges, like Santa Clara University, have moved to no longer observe the holiday or, like De Anza College, give professors the option as to whether or not they would like to teach.

Veterans Day, originally known as Armistice Day, is celebrated on Nov. 11 in honor of the armistice which ended World War I, where just short of 117,000 Americans were killed. It has since been revised to be a broader celebration of veterans of any war and their service.

Beyond its historical significance, Veterans Day expands on Memorial Day and honors veterans, dead or alive. Veterans frequently attend events as guest speakers, organizers or participants, reflecting on their service and how it has impacted them. 

Veterans should not only be honored after their death, but while they are still alive. Veterans Day accomplishes that.

Students should have the space to honor not only loved ones who have served, but also take the time for themselves as many veterans have gone on to pursue higher education. 

However, it’s understandable to an extent as to why some schools would like to no longer observe Veterans Day. Compared to other holidays, Veterans Day must always be observed on Nov. 11 regardless of what day it falls on, sometimes interrupting the school week.

For instance, this year Veterans Day arrives on a Thursday, with students expected to resume classes on Friday.

This can be irritating for professors and students alike, with an abrupt break happening in the week only to have to resume classes immediately after. But this is a weak argument.

Other holidays have significantly profounder arguments against their celebration, such as Thanksgiving and Columbus Day for their colonialist history. Compared to such arguments, convenience hardly stands out as a substantial reason to eliminate such an important holiday.

The United States may not have as long of a history as other countries, but nonetheless the military has fought in 11 wars and multitudes of other conflicts, culminating in hundreds of thousands of deaths since Veterans Day was established. And as of this year, there are about 19 million veterans living in the United States.

Veterans Day should be observed, and time should be given to commemorate the millions of people who have put their lives on the line. Memorial Day might honor the dead, but Veterans Day honors the living too.