Veterans' Day, Or, As Donald Trump Calls It...

The Veterans' Memorial in my hometown,

East Brunswick, New Jersey.

Well, today is November 11, the anniversary of the Armistice that ended World War I, known as Armistice Day. Also, Veterans' Day.

Or, as Donald Trump calls it, "Losers and Suckers Day."

* 1775-83, War of the American Revolution: 217,000 American men served, and 25,000 were killed. The last surviving veteran of the war died in 1866.

* 1812-15, War of 1812: 286K served, 20K killed. Last died in 1905.

* 1846-47, Mexican-American War: 78K served, 13,283 killed. Last died in 1929.

* 1861-65, American Civil War: If we count the side that fought to get out, and stay out, of the United States as "Americans," then, 3.2 million served, 625K killed. Last died in 1956.

* 1898-1902, Spanish-American War & Philippine Campaign (really, one war): 307K served, 6,642 killed. Last died in 1993.

* 1917-18, World War I: 4.7M served, 116,516 killed. Last died in 2011.

* 1941-45, World War II: 16.1M served, 405,399 killed, 119K are believed to still be alive.

* 1950-53, Korean War: 5.7M served, 36,516 killed, about 1M still alive.

* 1954-75, Vietnam War: 8.7M served, 58,220 killed (officially), 6.3M still alive.

* 1990-91, Iraq War I: 2.2M served, 2,094 killed.

* 2001-21, Afghan War: 1.4M served, 7,277 killed (4,281 of them after 9/11).

* 2003-11, Iraq War II: 300K served, 4,431 killed.

Peace is better than war. But justice is more important than peace. The best way to honor those who fight for us is to fight for them -- including after they come home, dead and alive alike.

And, unlike our country's commander-in-chief-elect, Donald Trump, does, to never, ever consider them "losers" and "suckers."

Trump's fans like to believe that they are operating, to borrow the title of a Bob Dylan song, "With God On Our Side." But remember the last line of that song: "If God's on our side, He'll stop the next war."