We all support and are forever indebted to our war veterans, past and present. So, thank you, all of you, for your loyalty and courage and for making our country everything that it is today.

In a perfect world, there would be no such thing as a war veteran, but as it were, that world does not exist. In a perfect world, there would be no need for Nice Magazine either. War is (unfortunately) a necessary occurrence. We are imperfect beings and we have imperfect means of settling our differences. We all hope that we are moving as a global community toward more humane resolutions, but when you take a look around, you realize that we still have a monster of a climb ahead of us.

But let's not celebrate only war veterans on this day, for that would be shortsighted and a little revisionist. There are a plentitude of sides and points-of-view to every war. And in our country, all of those sides deserve to be remembered and, yes, celebrated. For the most part, we aren't blood thirsty Huns looking to pick a fight (bite your tongue); in this country, we generally go to war only after careful thought, serious counsel and knowing full-well the intended consequences. Part of this process means considering the idea of not going to war at all. And in every past war, indeed, those opposing voices have played an important role in the politics and some would say eventual cessation of these wars. We don't go to war only with blazoned swords; we also go to war with a heart and conscience. So, if it is a human flaw to go to war, it is a human virtue that we fight to eventually end them. In NM's view, all voices deserve to be celebrated. What some may see as objectors / pacifists / pansy-asses are to others courageous and wise.

So, here's to all that fight in war: Our war veterans and our objectors alike.