Anzac Day
The Melbourne branch of the RSL has, for the first time, allowed the decendents of Turks who fought at Gallipoli, to march with the Anzac Day march. I applaud decision, if not the reasons for it.
The RSL has said the turks were "Honourable Enemies", and for that reason, they should be allowed. However, they would still consider it offensive for Japanese or Germans also to march. I think this is terribly inconsistent.
War is terrible, no matter which "side" you are on. And there are plenty of "honourable" Wehrmacht soldiers who deserve to be afforded the same rememberance as any American, British or Australian troop. To classify enemies as "honourable" or "dishonourable" inherently politicizes what should be a reflection on the tragedy of war.
We "commemorate" Anzac day for the wrong reasons. Instead of reflecting on how terrible War is, and the great human cost, we glorify the "sacrifice" of these young men for a "greater good". Whilst this was the case in WWII, World War I was a war of nationalism between 2 coalitions. There was no greater good being pursued by either side. Anzacs were sent to Gallipoli, blindly following the "motherland" into a war we didn't have any business being in. And furthermore, we were treated as cannon-fodder.
Unfortunately, in the current climate Anzac day is a glorification of sacrifice for the greater good, and doesn't allow for questions of if we should be in a war. The "greater good" is taken for granted, but we are not allowed to ask exactly what that greater good is.
Today more than ever, people should look at Gallipoli, and ask... are we blindly following commitments to war from our new "motherland"? Why are we making this sacrifice? Should young men and women be asked to place themselves in danger because politicians want to beat their chest?
And one more thing: we always talk of the diggers "Giving their lives to fight for our freedom" in specific reference to Gallipoli. This is simply not true. Australia was never threatened. We were fighting an imperialist war on another continent for a "motherland" who considered us expendable.
They gave their lives for a war that did not affect us, in a conflict we had no reason to be in, and for incompetent Generals and politicians who oversaw the most terrible and ridiculous military campaign ever seen. Lest we Forget.
Also - just a quick one on Guantanamo. Apparently, when soldiers enter and exit the facility , in typical US Army style, they have a code phrase. It goes something like this:
To honour and protect...
The freedom of democracy
AND THEY SAY THAT WITH A STRAIGHT FACE!! Actually, they're American - they're probably too damn stupid to understand the irony.
i was enjoying reading through your posts until the "americans...too damn stupid to understand the irony"
a bit of a generalization don't you think? kind of like "those aussies, its all kangaroos,large knives, fosters, shrimps on barbies, and mel gibson posters over their beds"
for the record some of us know what irony is, it's when you take the wrinkles out of your shirt with a hot metal thingy
Salty: Apologies for the generalisation... i usually spout one-eyed stuff when i'm angry. Particularly about Guantanamo (which is a disgrace).
Ooops - sorry, gotta go, or I'll miss the 10 o'clock Kangaroo....
Yes, isn't it funny how often you hear that the purpose of Anzac Day is "remembrance". Very rarely do we hear a full explanation of exactly what it is we are remembering, and therefore people get a huge misconception.
Are we remembering our glorious victory, and that is why we built an arch in Burwood Park to our glorious victory (which as a sidenote was built immediately after the war when they still glorified it, and soon after that the nation decided to build memorials instead. As a result, Burwood Park Arch is one of only 2 arches in the whole of Australia celebrating WWI victory).
If not the glorious victory, then are we remembering the war and those who died for us? (Burwood RSL club uses the phrase "They died so we may live").
Or are we remembering generally that war is a terrible thing that should never be repeated?
It is interesting how we use the word "remembrance" and think the whole country understands the meaning, and the sense in which we collectively mean it.