Reflections on Veterans Day 2023

It is ironic to find democracies in such fragile states this Veterans Day. The November 11th observance originated as Armistice Day in 1918. The signing of the Armistice 105 years ago marked the end of hostilities associated with the First World War, or The Great War as it was called in the 1910s and 1920s. The horrors of that war were of such scale and scope that it was believed humanity would find ways to make it The War to End All Wars. Sadly, nothing of the kind occurred.

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Veterans Day calls us to remember the day’s origin and the failures of previous generations to safeguard democracy here at home and around the world.

Through much of 1919, American troops returning to the United States came home to an America dominated by economic instability and social unrest. Shamefully, the federal government showed little regard for the needs of returning veterans in general and even less for African Americans who had served. The American Legion was formed primarily by military officers who opposed labor movements that were conducting strikes across many industries. Socialist leaders promised Black Americans their platforms would lead to a more egalitarian society, but powerful segregationists sought to intensify discrimination and used extreme measures to impose their will. In August 1919, Chicago erupted in a series of violent and deadly clashes that were mirrored in various cities across America. By the mid-1920s, the KKK yielded unprecedented power in various forms of government throughout the land. Below is how the website coloradoencyclopedia.org describes the state of affairs in Colorado.

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Seeing themselves as saviors of “Americanism” and the “Old-Time Religion,” twentieth-century Klan members felt it was their duty to protect Protestant ideals. This ideology resonated with the fundamentalist faction of Colorado Protestants. By 1925, the KKK Colorado Realm was at peak membership and was led by Grand Dragon Dr. John Galen Locke. Major Colorado towns such as Denver, Grand Junction, Pueblo, and Ca?on City were hotbeds of Klan activity. The KKK in Colorado was popular not only for its racist ideologies but also for its community events—evangelical Protestants saw the KKK as similar to other social organizations, like the Elk Lodge. A variety of local Klan events, including auto races and picnics, drew up to 10,000 people.

The Klan in Colorado peaked in 1925. By this time, it had infiltrated all levels of the state government. The Klan controlled many members of the legislature, held the State Supreme Court judgeship and seven benches on the Denver District Courts, and had controlling majorities in some town councils. Some of the most notable Klansmen at the time included Denver Mayor Ben Stapleton, Denver Police Chief William Candlish, and Colorado Governor Clarence Morley.

During its peak in Colorado, the KKK had both male and female chapters (Women of the KKK) and led boycotts of many local businesses run by Jews, blacks, and other minorities. In some cases, boycotts escalated to physical violence and other acts of aggression against minorities. Dr. Clarence Holmes, President of the Denver NAACP, received a threatening letter and found a burning cross outside of his house in response to his efforts to integrate the city.

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I recently saw “The Killers of Flower Moon,” the latest film project by director Martin Scorsese. The film brings to audiences the real-life plot of white supremacists to steal oil-rich land in Oklahoma from members of the Osage Nation. Scorsese's film offers numerous snapshots of the violence and terror that plagued America during the 1920s, but two scenes from the film have stayed with me. There is a scene of a parade passing through the town, which includes a unit of uniformed soldiers followed by flag-waving KKK members in their ghoulish attire. The implied connection between the two groups was unmistakable. The other scene showed Oklahomans in a darkened theater watching news footage of the bombing and destruction of Black Tulsa in 1921. The flickering images of Black Wall Street in flames appeared to my eyes to be visual instruction for dealing with populations that aspired to attain too much of the American dream.

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These nightmarish moments in America’s history must never be forgotten. I say this not to disparage America and Americans but to establish a common understanding from which we can strive to build a brighter future for all Americans. Like cancer, racism does not go away when conditions appear to be calm. The American Civil War was the first salvo in a bitter battle between inhabitants of our land who hold fundamentally opposing views of what our nation is and how it should function. The Confederacy was founded to perpetuate an extremely wretched social order based on human misery and exploitation designed to benefit enslavers. Although the Confederates lost the war, they and their descendants remained committed to restoring their nightmarish vision of our nation. In 1898, the legally elected bi-racial municipal government of Wilmington, North Carolina, was forced out of town, literally, by neo-Confederates who installed an all-white government supportive of their views. Shockingly, there was no intervention or reprisals for this military coup from the state or federal government.

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There is a persistent passivity in American culture that allows fascism and extremism to fester to unmanageable levels. It occurred in post-Reconstruction America and after the First World War. We do ourselves a great disservice if we believe similar dynamics are not at work today. An election denier now serves as the Speaker of the House. This is an individual who is deeply vested in a conspiracy to undermine our nation and its democratic principles, all to install a supreme leader. The situation speaks volumes about the fragility of American democracy. I applaud the current efforts of those Republicans suing to prevent the former president from appearing on the 2024 ballot in Colorado and Minnesota. They understand the importance of putting our nation and principle over party and loyalty to an autocrat.

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Veterans Day calls us to remember the day’s origin and the failures of previous generations to safeguard democracy here at home and around the world. Not every veteran believes in the democratic principles to which they once swore, and not every political leader is working for America's best interests. We must not only understand the dangers confronting our nation and the world, but we must do whatever we can to prevent the erosion of values that have made America an incredible nation.

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Here are actions I have chosen to take in response to current conditions.

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1.?????? Get educated about the past as well as the present.

2.?????? Align with others who cherish American democracy.

3.?????? Reject fascist rhetoric and covert racism.

4.?????? Vote in the upcoming election and encourage others to vote as well.

5.?????? Live courageously and productively.

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As a cultural historian, I cherish a 1918 poster that hangs in my office, published by E.G. Renesch, titled “Our Colored Heroes.” The poster, shown below, offers a compelling account of two African American soldiers who successfully fought off a surprise attack by German soldiers. They were praised by General Pershing, the commander of U.S. Forces in Europe, but were ignored upon their return home. The men are part of a sizable cohort that fought with honor and distinction in the First World War. ?I regard it an honor and my duty to celebrate these men as well as other Americans who fought under French command because many white American officers refused to include Blacks in their ranks. These soldiers were great patriots, and their stories ought to be taught in every American school.

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Throughout the 1920s, intense racial hatred corrupted America’s military service and resulted in Blacks remaining in segregated units through the outset of World War 2. Despite having to fight fascists abroad and racism at home, a Black soldier named Vernon Baker performed the seemingly impossible. He fought off a German unit almost singlehandedly in Italy. It took 50 years for our government to recognize his valor, and sadly, many other heroes like him went to their graves unrecognized and unappreciated simply because of their race. Below is a link to a 5-minute account of Baker’s heroics, which references a secret military document calling for the despicable treatment of Blacks by military commanders based on racist lies. View the video, and you will understand the urgent need for strong commitments to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion throughout our nation.

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Truth matters and must be revered as a pillar of democratic societies.

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I hope next year brings greater prospects for peace, but in the meantime, I will continue to praise American veterans who helped maintain our security and helped define the goodness and greatness of America.

To all of Our Patriotic Veterans, I say God bless and thank you.

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For more courageous learning, I invite you to watch the recommended videos below. They include a discussion with Colorado’s Attorney General about the recent trial to prohibit the former president from appearing on the state’s ballot next November, recorded for PBS’s Amanpour and Company. The second video features Elias Gold, who offers an interesting commentary on “Killers of the Flower Moon” from an Indigenous perspective.