A little discombobulated by
the occasional posts I'm seeing on Social Media with people claiming ANZAC Day shouldn't be
acknowledged at all because we shouldn't celebrate war.
I think there are too many people who don't understand the true
meaning of ANZAC Day - and that's also understandable as there are also too
many assholes in the business community who simply want to profit from,
literally, the sacrifice of others.
The ANZAC's were dropped at the wrong place by the British
Commanders, yup those British have screwed over Aussies & Kiwi's for
hundreds of years and raped and pillaged the globe for centuries. But ANZAC Day
is NOT about the British or the War or the whole philosophy of War..
ANZAC Day is about mateship, courage, sacrifice, community and
honour. It's about how incredible Aussies & Kiwis are when faced with
adversity - that's both nations first peoples and the more recent arrivals (aka
last couple of hundred years). We are like a family - we don't always treat
each other well and we have lots of issues to solve in our family - but if
someone or something from outside that family tries to mess with us, G-d help
them.
We can all easily find fault with our Nations - but when we are
up against it for whatever reason, natural disasters or man made ones like war,
we are amazing in our courage and compassion, honour and determination - and
our ingenuity.
ANZAC Day epitomises to me, that no matter what shit is dumped
on us by the world, when it comes down to it we have each others backs in a
crisis. For me, and this is my opinion, ANZAC Day has become the day we
acknowledge and honour the ANZAC Spirit - and that we should remember that the
best way we can all commemorate this is to continue to have each others backs,
to act with compassion and bravery and do it every day of our lives. That's not
glorifying war, and it is certainly not celebrating it.
ANZAC Day has grown to become a day when we stop and take the
time to honour all our military service people, particularly those who've served
in the theatre of war.
Which brings me to another gripe I have. The number of people
who actually said to my face that my son shouldn't have been in Afghanistan and
that he was wrong to go, this was happening even during the time he was
deployed, and it was startling and incredibly hurtful.
Do those same people have the hide to tell a Paramedic which
people they should save and which they shouldn't? Do they tell the Fire Brigade
Officer which fire should be extinguished and which shouldn't? Seriously the majority
of people who join the military or the emergency services do so to serve their
community/country they do it out of an altruistic calling, and that calling
doesn't allow them to pick and choose who they save or who they don't, where
they fight and where they don't.
The only reason ADF members put themselves forward for
deployments is because they have that ANZAC Spirit, they know if they don't go
their mate will have to. Imagine if noone in the ADF put themselves forward for
deployments, the government/CDF would make arbitrary decisions - just like
Vietnam all over - conscription and forced deployments.
It really pisses me off when someone says to me 'but your son
volunteered to go to Afghanistan' as if that means he and his mates deserve the
trauma and the injuries they sustained, and those that didn't come home must
have in some way deserved to die. Some people are so shallow - if our
government (the one elected by us) decides on our behalf to commit a certain
number of our troops to a conflict, they will send those troops.
BOTTOM LINE IS IF YOU DON'T AGREE WITH A WAR WE'RE INVOLVED IN -
look in the mirror because it's your vote that elects the government and your
government that takes these decisions based on that vote. Not the Soldier or
the Sailor or the Pilot - they are serving your wishes, in the same way the
Emergency Services serve your wishes. Also ask yourselves what you'd expect if
our lands were attacked? Do you want a Military then? Would you like someone to
protect and defend you then?
All
our Veterans need from you is your understanding, compassion and GRATEFULNESS
that they have the guts to do a job you won't, Don't judge them - love them and
support them to heal from the trauma they subject themselves to for YOU!
