Anzac Day debrief
On Anzac
Day I pondered the dichotomy of the institution … on the one hand I perceive
the enormous celebrations having turned into a circus, where the performances -
with their militaristic overtones - are an exploitation of patriotism &
nationalism and present a recruitment drive. The armed forces are confirmed as
the means to support our government's imperialism; at the same time that the
apparent emphasis of speeches and remembrances are an expression of sorrow at
the horrors of war, our leaders send yet more troops into a hot trouble spot …
to fight a war in foreign lands that is not our own.
On the
other hand I am very aware of the original purpose of Anzac Day: The
Remembrance of fallen soldiers, the Gratitude we feel toward them and the
families left behind; I acknowledge the huge impact serving - and
having served - in the armed forces has on soldiers. Their experiences are
unique (I cannot comprehend how it feels, I have never served … I was a
conscientious objector in Germany in the mid-1960s) and they have formed bonds
as strong and deep as any human bonds. Indeed, I remember my father saying that his greatest
friendships stem from the war. My son now repeats the sentiment.