Remembrance Day

[gerryh]

why do some say that remembrance day glorifies war? Because it concentrates ONLY on those that have died "fighting" that war. It raises those that have done the killing to hero status. It makes no mention of the thousands upon thousands of innocence that have been killed. Thousands upon thousands that did NOT volunteer to be killed or to participate freely in the insanity.

WWI was supposed to be the "war to end all wars", yet we are STILL killing people for the SAME reasons givin for having to fight the "war to end all wars". How many innocents need to be killed to ensure YOUR freedom? How many innocents need to be killed before YOU say enough is enough? How many innocents need to be killed before full payment has been made?

 

[#juan]

why do some say that remembrance day glorifies war? Because it concentrates ONLY on those that have died "fighting" that war. It raises those that have done the killing to hero status. It makes no mention of the thousands upon thousands of innocence that have been killed. Thousands upon thousands that did NOT volunteer to be killed or to participate freely in the insanity.

WWI was supposed to be the "war to end all wars", yet we are STILL killing people for the SAME reasons givin for having to fight the "war to end all wars". How many innocents need to be killed to ensure YOUR freedom? How many innocents need to be killed before YOU say enough is enough? How many innocents need to be killed before full payment has been made?

Gerry this doesn't explain why we do the things we do but this quote from wolfie68 above does kind of put things in perspective:
I don't think of this as a day for glorifying war, but as others have stated, as a day for honouring the sacrifices of those who do pay the price for them. Contrary to what the JBee's of the world think, I'm enough of a realist to understand wars only need the consent of one party to start and then responses of the one attacked are limited: do you accept a beating/subservience/possible extinction or do you respond in kind? Its not a nice choice, or a feel good one. But the alternative is far worse.

Thank you to our veterans for not making us face that alternative.

 

[talloola]

I have decided over the years to ignore all of the pomp and ceremony that takes
place, it's all for not, because it won't be long again, till some selfish leader drags
his citizens off to another war.

But, I sure do think long and hard about the men and women who never did have
a chance to live their lives, as we are, and I am grateful to them.

 

[gerryh]

Gerry this doesn't explain why we do the things we do but this quote from wolfie68 above does kind of put things in perspective:
I don't think of this as a day for glorifying war, but as others have stated, as a day for honouring the sacrifices of those who do pay the price for them. Contrary to what the JBee's of the world think, I'm enough of a realist to understand wars only need the consent of one party to start and then responses of the one attacked are limited: do you accept a beating/subservience/possible extinction or do you respond in kind? Its not a nice choice, or a feel good one. But the alternative is far worse.

Thank you to our veterans for not making us face that alternative.

and my point is proven.

 

[Kreskin]

I realize the song "Battle Hymn of the Republic" is American, however two girls and two guys sang it at our local cenotaph today and did a remarkable job. Best version I've ever heard. Slow and with amazing harmonies.

 

[Spade]

Acapella?

Where?

 

[Cannuck]

why do some say that remembrance day glorifies war? Because it concentrates ONLY on those that have died "fighting" that war. It raises those that have done the killing to hero status.

No it doesn't. My grandfather died on D-Day before he ever got out of his landing craft and without ever firing his rifle at anybody.

Remembrance day is about honoring people that placed their fellow man before themselves. One can argue whether their actions benefited humanity in the short term or in the long term. One can argue whether my grandfather needed to be in that landing craft on that day however, he believed what he was doing was right and he was willing to lay down his life for that...he made that conscious decision...he made that sacrifice, because he believed that in doing so, future generations would be free...free to call him a baby-killer.

 

[TenPenny]

No it doesn't. My grandfather died on D-Day before he ever got out of his landing craft and without ever firing his rifle at anybody.

My grandfather's little brother was a Rhodes scolar, who instead of going to Oxford, went to war in 1916, and died of his wounds 6 months after going to France. His diary is interesting reading - the banal details of collecting the dead and wounded.

A terrible waste of lives, but it was necessary. Such is our world, sometimes we have to do these things. I don't glorify or condemn them, they did what needed to be done, and many many people suffered in all kinds of ways as a result.

WW1 wasn't glory and heroics, it was people doing what had to be done, under horrible circumstances. And in reality, that's what war is. And I'm thankful for those who do so, because that means I don't have to.

 

[wulfie68]

why do some say that remembrance day glorifies war? Because it concentrates ONLY on those that have died "fighting" that war. It raises those that have done the killing to hero status. It makes no mention of the thousands upon thousands of innocence that have been killed. Thousands upon thousands that did NOT volunteer to be killed or to participate freely in the insanity.

Way too easy.

Anyone can be a victim: all that takes is bad luck. It takes a special type of person to stand in danger for the sake of others.

On Remembrance Day we honour those who made a conscious choice to do something that wasn't wrapped in self interest. The death and disenfranchisment that acompanies conflicts (and natural disasters) is tragic but on November 11th is for those who made a decision to stand in the way to prevent that from happening to more of us. We highlight man's folly by contrasting it to the selflessness of others.

We remember those who gave their youth, innocence, limbs and lives for the ideas that our society values. And don't kid yourself: Hitler, Mussolini (and Stalin although we never quite went to war with him) did NOT espouse our ideas of a free and just society. Some of you will claim we really don't, in your jaded cynicism with our current political cesspool but the reality is if the Axis had won WW2 you would be imprisoned and possibly executed for expressing that cynicism. THAT is what my grandfather and millions of other service men and women from countries across the globe fought for.

 

[Goober]

JBeee
And those evil Americans helped stop Hitler and the Japanese - Evil they are - Those Americans are all so evil - Right JBeee -
USGFAG - Bet that is not in the Urban Dictionary

 

[gerryh]

So, I will ask again..... how many innocent deaths is YOUR "freedom" worth? For me..... I would rather live my life in solitary confinement than have even the death of one innocent child required for my "freedom".

 

[Cliffy]

So, I will ask again..... how many innocent deaths is YOUR "freedom" worth? For me..... I would rather live my life in solitary confinement than have even the death of one innocent child required for my "freedom".

I'm with you on this one. The only thing I remember on this day is the stupidity and horror of war.

 

[Francis2004]

So, I will ask again..... how many innocent deaths is YOUR "freedom" worth? For me..... I would rather live my life in solitary confinement than have even the death of one innocent child required for my "freedom".

What about all those who were saved from by soldiers that were women / children as they were about to get slaughtered by machine guns and did not get killed but only got taken as prisoners of war ?

 

[Francis2004]

The old saying, if you could live on "what if"..

 

[gerryh]

What about all those who were saved from by soldiers that were women / children as they were about to get slaughtered by machine guns and did not get killed but only got taken as prisoners of war ?

How many do you require for your freedom?

 

[Goober]

How many do you require for your freedom?

Well would you prefer to live under the Taliban or an Islamic State ruled by Imans - Afghanistan - Iran - Would you prefer that Hitler had won - What would you prefer? Or North Korea -

Time to anwer up eh -

 

[TenPenny]

So, I will ask again..... how many innocent deaths is YOUR "freedom" worth? For me..... I would rather live my life in solitary confinement than have even the death of one innocent child required for my "freedom".

Then I think you'd better find a cell, because your bill is coming due.

 

[gerryh]

Well would you prefer to live under the Taliban or an Islamic State ruled by Imans - Afghanistan - Iran - Would you prefer that Hitler had won - What would you prefer? Or North Korea -

Time to anwer up eh -

I've already answered.....it is people like you that have not.....how many innocents need die for your "freedom"?

 

[Goober]

I'm with you on this one. The only thing I remember on this day is the stupidity and horror of war.

Cliffy - Yes War is horrible - No dounbt - innocents on both sides are killed - Soldiers do not prefer war as they know how terrible it is.

 

[TenPenny]

How many do you require for your freedom?

At least as many as have died so far, probably a few more if I plan to live longer.

It's not that I 'require' them to die, but that stuff is what has happened, and our society is what has resulted, so if that was necessary to get where we are today, then that's what it is.

Innocent people die sometimes. That's life.

If you think that somehow we are killing innocents by living in our society, then you will have to leave our society to appease your conscience.