Education: Veterans are right. Children need to hear the stories.

The veterans who spoke at the county's annual Memorial Day service have a point.

There are not enough young people who understand -- really comprehend -- the sacrifices that have been made by generations of soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines to keep this country free.

Perhaps it is because the violence in movies and video games has turned their minds to "numb." Perhaps the ease with which they can pull a trigger in a war game makes them immune to the true stories about the harsh realities of war.

Perhaps they just aren't interested in their history.

But the bottom line is, we are risking losing a generation that is so bleary-eyed from its social media and Internet habits that its members are missing out on critical information.

But, you might ask, why does it matter if a 12-year-old understands what war really means and the sacrifices that have been made? Won't there be time for that later?

Not if we are hoping to have them become, first, educated voters, and then, later, thoughtful leaders.

Having a perspective on the costs of freedom and the price that has been paid on battlefields across the world is our insurance policy. It causes children to pause, to think about the bigger picture. It gives them role models who are true heroes rather than computer-animated or enhanced characters on a movie or TV screen.

Maybe there is a way to bring the power of these true stories to Wayne County's children -- and to make sure Memorial Day continues to mean something to them.

What if several events were held at schools next year? What if children got to hear the stories and to watch wreath ceremonies firsthand?

What if a speaker's bureau fanned out and hit classrooms for a week, giving the students firsthand knowledge of what it is like to serve and the definition of a hero?

What if older students were encouraged to become pen pals with a vet for a week -- or a soldier who is currently serving?

What if part of next year's Memorial Day commemoration involved education? What if we made it a priority as a community for as many children as possible to get the chance to meet a veteran and to hear his or her story?

It is not a complete solution, but it is a first step -- and a chance for a generation that is disappearing fast to share some critical knowledge with those who are coming after.

We cannot afford to miss that opportunity.

Published in Editorials on May 27, 2014 10:42 AM