KINGSTON, R.I – A bill proposing renaming “Victory Day” to “Peace and Remembrance Day was considered in the House Committee on special legislation on April 5.
Representative, Jennifer Stewart of District 59 in Pawtucket, filed this bill on February 8 in hopes of changing the name. Stewart chose to rename the day because she felt that it doesn’t represent the evolving understanding of the time period.
“It’s stuck in the 1948 way of thinking,” Stewart said.
Jonathan Daly-LaBelle, a member and organizer of “Just Peace RI” added that the name change would signal that society is evolving.
According to Stewart, as a history teacher, she teaches about World War II in her classes. She talks about the use of atomic bombs as an example of total war because it creates war on everything and everyone, including civilians.
Stewart said “Victory Day,” is one of Rhode Island’s state holidays. In the list of RI general laws, there is a section that lists all of the holidays recognized. This holiday is celebrated on the second Monday of August to remember the victory against Japan at Hiroshima.
Additionally, Stewart said a bill is needed to change the name because “Victory Day” is the official name in state law. To that extent, it will be observed by using its official name and state law. Also, there is a related law in Rhode Island that requires state agencies to only use the name to refer to the second Monday in August.
“I think that law is an effort to encourage people not to talk about Victory Day as “Victory over Japan Day” or “VJ Day,” according to Stewart.
So far in its legislative process, Stewart said the bill was drafted, formally introduced, and considered by the House Committee on Special Legislation. This means the Committee was able to hold a hearing where Stewart was able to speak on behalf of the bill and people like Daly-LaBelle and Robert Watt, a Quaker and lawyer for 44 years and a member of Veterans for Peace, were able to testify in support of the bill. In addition, others could come to oppose the bill. There were 60 written testimonies total and only a handful were opposed.
“Now it’s up to the members of the House Committee to decide to move it out of the committee and go to a floor vote,” Stewart said.
A floor vote means a bill moves to the full House for further debate and a vote.
Furthermore, Watt said that at the hearing there were veterans who spoke against it including a representative from Westerly. Watt thinks that this isn’t a necessary argument with veterans.
“I’m a veteran myself and I’ve been respectful to lives lost at that time. Not just veterans but civilian and military lives,” according to Watt.
Watt also said the veterans were against it because they didn’t want their service in World War II to be dismissed from their moment of glory. The way he thought about it was that about 60 million people were killed in the war. That includes relatives and mothers mourning the losses of their husbands and children.
Finally, Daly-Labelle confirmed that the House Committee hearing was completed but has to go through the Senate Committee where a hearing will be scheduled.
The Center of Nonviolence and Peace Studies supports this bill and is hopeful for “Victory Day” to be changed to “Peace and Remembrance Day.” Best of Luck!