I Remember

So, Remembrance Day today. I always like to take some time out of the day to pay my personal respects. Not entirely sure what instilled the sense of importance of days like these in me. My great grandfather was Lighthorseman, and I've had other relatives who've fought and died in WW I and WWII, but I don't think that's solely it. Maybe it was watching the Anzacs TV series go to air in 1986. It definitely had an effect on me. But I don't think it was wholly responsible. I can remember as a kid the Anzac legend being taught to us, and Anzac day was always a big deal and is a nationally celebrated event. I guess it's a combination of all those things.

Last year, on a drive from Sydney to Melbourne, I was engaged in a debate/argument with a good friend of mine on the importance of things like Anzac Day and Remembrance Day. He is of the hippy persuasion, and he argued that days like those should be forgotten and absolutely no attention be paid to soldiers and those who gave their life for Australia during and war. Their contribution should simply be erased. I tried to explain that the general consensus is that those (or any) wars were horrific and awful, but the sacrifices made by all those people should never ever be forgotten, and they answered the call when it was asked of them. Something which, in my mind, should garner the highest respect from all walks of life. I wasn't sanctioning war or saying it's a celebration of death, but he couldn't accept any of my points of view and maintained no veterans should be acknowledged or thanked.

Somebody wise once said 'Never argue with a fool or a drunk'. So I gave up and realised that sometimes, you just have to let people think what they want to think, regardless of how infinitely stupid their opinion is.