Friday, November 14, 2003
Veterans Day
I know it is no longer Veterans Day, but I was thinking about this back on the 11th and I really felt it important to share with the world.
I remember growing up, how important the 11th of Novemeber was, without always really understanding why. I grew up in Australia, and while we don't call it Veterans Day, the 11th Day of the 11th Month is still a day where we remember those who fought and fell.
Maybe it's because I was younger then, or maybe it's because I have studied so much history now, but I feel like the American version of Veterans Day has been tainted by current political beliefs. As a child, I remember standing at 11am, to observe a minuete of silence, to think about those who have gone before and the sacrafices they made. One year, I was working in the city on this day. At the heart of a middle intersection, the entrance of a train station, across from the State Library, down the street from a college- basically in the heart of town. I very vividly remember stepping outside right before 11am, watching the bustle and then WAM. The clock struck and it was like a freezing spell had been put over the city. The Trams and cars stopped in the middle of the street. People stopped walking and talking, sound died. It was a ghost town- even though it was still filled with people. It gave you a feeling of what it would have been like in any town in Europe during WWI and 2, deathly silent. A minuete later... with a whoosh... the city started up again. It was as if nothing had happened, and yet, in that brief moment, I felt a connection with those who have died fighting for their country.
That is what veterans Day is about.
It's not about talking about the War on Terror or Bin Ladin. It's not about talking about our own soldiers. It's certainly not about how great America is, because god knows I could tell you a few "terrorist" like things that America has done- and still does (Indian extermination anyone?). I heard a radio broadcast on the 11th, basically talking National pride, how great America is. Lets wipe out terrorism. I am not saying I hate the US... dammit I live here. But this struck me so raw on this holy day for those who have fought.
It's about ALL soldiers. Theirs, ours, yours. It's about those who have died and those who still fight today. It's about the fact that these men and women get up every day, and do what has to be done. They don't make the choices or descions. They follow their orders.
I don't care if that soldier is American, Australian, Israeli, Palestinian, Russian, German, Italian..... it does not matter. We are all human, and in the game of war, we all die. No matter what uniform we wear. And THAT my friends is the point of Veterans day.
I remember growing up, how important the 11th of Novemeber was, without always really understanding why. I grew up in Australia, and while we don't call it Veterans Day, the 11th Day of the 11th Month is still a day where we remember those who fought and fell.
Maybe it's because I was younger then, or maybe it's because I have studied so much history now, but I feel like the American version of Veterans Day has been tainted by current political beliefs. As a child, I remember standing at 11am, to observe a minuete of silence, to think about those who have gone before and the sacrafices they made. One year, I was working in the city on this day. At the heart of a middle intersection, the entrance of a train station, across from the State Library, down the street from a college- basically in the heart of town. I very vividly remember stepping outside right before 11am, watching the bustle and then WAM. The clock struck and it was like a freezing spell had been put over the city. The Trams and cars stopped in the middle of the street. People stopped walking and talking, sound died. It was a ghost town- even though it was still filled with people. It gave you a feeling of what it would have been like in any town in Europe during WWI and 2, deathly silent. A minuete later... with a whoosh... the city started up again. It was as if nothing had happened, and yet, in that brief moment, I felt a connection with those who have died fighting for their country.
That is what veterans Day is about.
It's not about talking about the War on Terror or Bin Ladin. It's not about talking about our own soldiers. It's certainly not about how great America is, because god knows I could tell you a few "terrorist" like things that America has done- and still does (Indian extermination anyone?). I heard a radio broadcast on the 11th, basically talking National pride, how great America is. Lets wipe out terrorism. I am not saying I hate the US... dammit I live here. But this struck me so raw on this holy day for those who have fought.
It's about ALL soldiers. Theirs, ours, yours. It's about those who have died and those who still fight today. It's about the fact that these men and women get up every day, and do what has to be done. They don't make the choices or descions. They follow their orders.
I don't care if that soldier is American, Australian, Israeli, Palestinian, Russian, German, Italian..... it does not matter. We are all human, and in the game of war, we all die. No matter what uniform we wear. And THAT my friends is the point of Veterans day.
0 Comments:
Pages of
Note:
The Words
of my bestest bud.
My Aunt's Blog
EDJ's Blog
The rabble of film
reviews- cinemablend
Archives:
- 10/2003 - 11/2003 11/2003 - 12/2003 12/2003 - 01/2004 04/2004 - 05/2004 05/2004 - 06/2004 06/2004 - 07/2004 07/2004 - 08/2004 08/2004 - 09/2004 09/2004 - 10/2004 10/2004 - 11/2004 11/2004 - 12/2004 12/2004 - 01/2005 01/2005 - 02/2005 02/2005 - 03/2005 03/2005 - 04/2005 04/2005 - 05/2005 05/2005 - 06/2005 06/2005 - 07/2005 07/2005 - 08/2005 08/2005 - 09/2005 09/2005 - 10/2005 10/2005 - 11/2005 12/2005 - 01/2006 01/2006 - 02/2006 02/2006 - 03/2006 03/2006 - 04/2006 04/2006 - 05/2006 05/2006 - 06/2006 06/2006 - 07/2006 07/2006 - 08/2006 08/2006 - 09/2006 09/2006 - 10/2006 10/2006 - 11/2006 11/2006 - 12/2006 12/2006 - 01/2007 01/2007 - 02/2007 02/2007 - 03/2007 03/2007 - 04/2007 04/2007 - 05/2007 05/2007 - 06/2007 06/2007 - 07/2007 07/2007 - 08/2007 08/2007 - 09/2007 09/2007 - 10/2007 10/2007 - 11/2007 11/2007 - 12/2007 12/2007 - 01/2008 01/2008 - 02/2008 02/2008 - 03/2008 03/2008 - 04/2008 04/2008 - 05/2008 05/2008 - 06/2008 06/2008 - 07/2008 07/2008 - 08/2008 08/2008 - 09/2008 09/2008 - 10/2008 10/2008 - 11/2008 11/2008 - 12/2008 12/2008 - 01/2009 01/2009 - 02/2009 02/2009 - 03/2009 03/2009 - 04/2009 04/2009 - 05/2009 05/2009 - 06/2009 06/2009 - 07/2009 07/2009 - 08/2009 08/2009 - 09/2009 09/2009 - 10/2009 10/2009 - 11/2009 11/2009 - 12/2009 12/2009 - 01/2010 01/2010 - 02/2010 03/2010 - 04/2010 04/2010 - 05/2010 05/2010 - 06/2010 06/2010 - 07/2010 07/2010 - 08/2010 08/2010 - 09/2010 09/2010 - 10/2010 10/2010 - 11/2010 01/2011 - 02/2011 01/2013 - 02/2013 12/2014 - 01/2015 01/2015 - 02/2015 02/2015 - 03/2015
