Nov. 11 passed unnoticed. No announcements were made, no special prayer chapel held. Biola’s student body largely forgot Veteran’s Day. This didn’t sit well with the Biola College Republicans. Call us sentimental, but we savor the chance to spend a day remembering the 25 million American veterans; they have sacrificed the comforts and safety of home to preserve the freedoms upon which this institution relies. Instead, Tuesday was another day of classes during a hectic semester; Biola continued – without pause – in its normal routine.

In the formation of this holiday, it was the desire of President Dwight D. Eisenhower to “solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly … to preserve our heritage of freedom, and … re-consecrate ourselves to the task of promoting an enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain.” Why is it, then, that secular institutions such as state universities are able to identify with Eisenhower’s values on this topic, yet at Biola, an institution whose conservatism is widely recognized, we fail to fully associate with his sentiments?

The purpose of Veterans Day is to outwardly express, through the cessation of normal activities, our recognition and appreciation for those who have willingly chosen to fight and suffer on our behalf. From an external perspective, it would seem as if Biola fails to conform to the national policy on halting activities on Veterans Day. It doesn’t matter whether Biola supports the war or the current policies of the federal government. It is our duty as protected citizens to honor those who volunteered, in our absence, to protect the very Constitution that allows our institution to proclaim God’s Word. For the veterans who attend and teach at Biola, we thank you. We thank you for your service and your love for your fellow citizens.

Perhaps, with a little persistence and a realignment of values, Biola will not allow the sacrifice of its veterans to go unrecognized.