Joliet Mayor Praises Veteran’s Day Celebrations in Joliet, Says Students Who Refuse to Stand for the

Joliet, IL. —At the conclusion of the Joliet City Council Meeting on November 15, Mayor Bob O’Dekirk praised Veteran’s Day celebrations held by Joliet Central High School and the Will County Courthouse.

On Thursday, November 10, 2016, more than 40 veterans were invited to a Veteran’s Day ceremony held at Joliet Central High School.

The ceremony included musical performances by the Joliet Symphonic Band and the Joliet Central choirs. There was also a moment of silence for deceased veterans and soldiers, according to Chicagoland newspaper, The Bugle News.

During the ceremony, Shad Hallihan, the Joliet Central principal, spoke about each veteran, telling the crowd when and where they had served and what their rank and responsibilities had been.

Following the ceremony, a reception was held for the veterans; students and guests also attended.

One of the veterans, Vic Genge, who served in Vietnam from 1968-1971, told The Bugle Newspapers, “[…] Vietnam was not a popular war. […] We weren’t welcomed home. Today, they have a much different view of the military.”

The following day, the Will County Courthouse, located in Downtown Joliet, held their own celebration.

The event featured a performance from the Joliet American Legion Band in front of the courthouse—a statue dedicated to the memory of deceased soldiers stood behind them—according to The Herald-News.

Following his expression of gratitude towards the Joliet Central High School and the Will County Courthouse for holding those celebrations, the mayor spoke about recent events at local schools in Joliet.

“We had an incident, a couple weeks ago, where students on the local high school football team refused to stand up for the National Anthem.”

O’Dekirk also said that following Election Day, numerous students at a local elementary school refused to stand up for the Pledge of Allegiance.

“I think these young people are obviously misguided. But I think there needs to be responsibility from […] parents, from teachers, school administrators, coaches and us on the council as elected officials,” O’Dekirk said to the forum.

“There has to be respect for the institutions of our country. […] Whether it be the Constitution or the election process or the symbols of the Pledge of Allegiance.”

“ […] I think other elected officials across the state and country should start speaking up to say to people in our society what will and will not be tolerated.”