It's Remembrance Day again and with each year the meaning becomes more and more corrupt. For the past week or so I have been inundated with rules on poppy wearing ettiquette when there never was any beyond wearing one, or with pleas for me to thank a serving member of the armed forces because they are all "heroes," no they aren't.
When I was a child Remembrance Day was not a holiday. We went to school and learned about past wars the country participated in and at 11:00 am there was two minutes of silent reflection preceded, or followed, by the reading of In Flanders Field. We made poppies out of paper and we wore them for the day.
Things have changed and much of it for the better. The day is now a provincial holiday in much of Canada. Poppies are available for sale by donation with the small fee going to help veterans groups.
Here's what I don't like about the changes:
1- The insistance that all members of the armed forces be recognized as heroes. Don't get me wrong, they are most likely nice people but so are the sons/daughters of all other citizens who made different career choices. It was a career choice that works out for some, not for others, much like the choice to become an engineer or plumber. Every person who takes a job and becomes a productive member of society is "serving" that society. Singling out one career choice as being so much more deserving is ridiculous.
2- The new to Canada habit of walking up to strangers in uniform and thanking them for their service. Do you not see the discomfort in their expression? Do you not understand that they made that choice for their own reasons and your expression of gratitude in a crowded airport at the top of your lungs isn't one of them. In fact, with the public display, one would think it was more about your wanting to prove how patriotic you are that led you to intrude on that members personal time and space with your empty words. In fact, that member feels the same! Seriously, look at their expression again. They hate it!
3- Poppy ettiquette. . . There is none beyond getting/making one and wearing it. . . And only if you wish to. Lack of poppy is not an indicator of lack of repect or patriotism. There are infinite ways to remember, the poppy is just one.
Oh, and by extension, more poppies do not mean more respect or more patriotism. If you feel it does you must also feel the day is about you.
4- The losing of what Remembrance Day is all about. It isn't about looking after former soldiers with PTSD, or injuries. It isn't about making political hay against the current government. It isn't about current members of the military. It isn't about you.
It is about one thing: Honouring the people who paid the ULTIMATE sacrifice in the wars our country chose to participate in. This was brought home to me several years ago at a Remembrance Day ceremony. Someone walked up to an old veteran sitting in the front row in front of the cenotaph, extended their hand and said "Thank you for your service!"
The old vet took the hand but didn't shake it. He held it so the person couldn't walk away and he said (paraphrase), "This isn't about me. I won the lottery! I survived to raise a family, live my life, and now I am old. This day is about the ones who didn't survive. Two of my friends didn't survive so they deserve your thanks but they aren't here. Your attendance at this ceremony isn't even important to them. All you need do is remember they did it."
Forgetting what these people gave would be terrible but is it really worse than hijacking the day for your own political, or narcissistic needs?
When I was a child Remembrance Day was not a holiday. We went to school and learned about past wars the country participated in and at 11:00 am there was two minutes of silent reflection preceded, or followed, by the reading of In Flanders Field. We made poppies out of paper and we wore them for the day.
Things have changed and much of it for the better. The day is now a provincial holiday in much of Canada. Poppies are available for sale by donation with the small fee going to help veterans groups.
Here's what I don't like about the changes:
1- The insistance that all members of the armed forces be recognized as heroes. Don't get me wrong, they are most likely nice people but so are the sons/daughters of all other citizens who made different career choices. It was a career choice that works out for some, not for others, much like the choice to become an engineer or plumber. Every person who takes a job and becomes a productive member of society is "serving" that society. Singling out one career choice as being so much more deserving is ridiculous.
2- The new to Canada habit of walking up to strangers in uniform and thanking them for their service. Do you not see the discomfort in their expression? Do you not understand that they made that choice for their own reasons and your expression of gratitude in a crowded airport at the top of your lungs isn't one of them. In fact, with the public display, one would think it was more about your wanting to prove how patriotic you are that led you to intrude on that members personal time and space with your empty words. In fact, that member feels the same! Seriously, look at their expression again. They hate it!
3- Poppy ettiquette. . . There is none beyond getting/making one and wearing it. . . And only if you wish to. Lack of poppy is not an indicator of lack of repect or patriotism. There are infinite ways to remember, the poppy is just one.
Oh, and by extension, more poppies do not mean more respect or more patriotism. If you feel it does you must also feel the day is about you.
4- The losing of what Remembrance Day is all about. It isn't about looking after former soldiers with PTSD, or injuries. It isn't about making political hay against the current government. It isn't about current members of the military. It isn't about you.
It is about one thing: Honouring the people who paid the ULTIMATE sacrifice in the wars our country chose to participate in. This was brought home to me several years ago at a Remembrance Day ceremony. Someone walked up to an old veteran sitting in the front row in front of the cenotaph, extended their hand and said "Thank you for your service!"
The old vet took the hand but didn't shake it. He held it so the person couldn't walk away and he said (paraphrase), "This isn't about me. I won the lottery! I survived to raise a family, live my life, and now I am old. This day is about the ones who didn't survive. Two of my friends didn't survive so they deserve your thanks but they aren't here. Your attendance at this ceremony isn't even important to them. All you need do is remember they did it."
Forgetting what these people gave would be terrible but is it really worse than hijacking the day for your own political, or narcissistic needs?
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