first of all thanks to @moorookamick for opening the discussion with a pertinent question given the changing demography of Australia.
I'm on holidays in HCMC and write from district 1, aka Saigon.
i've had no problems at times over the past decade or so attending the dawn service at the Australian embassy in Phnom Penh to mark Anzac Day, our most solemn national day.
In the company of others, reflecting on the futility of war, except when it wasn't. Australian forces never invaded Cambodia.
this year in HCMC, Australia and New Zealand held a dawn service at the British consulate.
I thought long and hard about attending but couldn't muster the enthusiasm required to mark Australia's involvement in overseas wars.
Did i need or want to participate in a service in part to mark Australia's militarism being held in a country that never threatened Australia but was invaded and occupied by Australian forces anyway during the American war.
then and since then, Australia has taken war to a number of countries that never threatened us.
then and since then, Australian govts haven't been able to articulate to our armed forces incountry who the actual enemy is.
it's important to log this: Australian govts have sent our armed forces to fight and die in foreign fields without being able to define the enemy.
it's why Anzac day commemorations must also include holding govt to account, as well as the sacrifice and service of individuals.
if we don't hold govt to account for their war idiocies and barbarism on Anzac Day, when do we.
It's an element of the respect for those who served and for those who died to ask questions such as why and how. Without such questions, there is no respect. ''it's why Anzac day commemorations must also include holding govt to account, as well as the sacrifice and service of individuals.if we don't hold govt to account for their war idiocies and barbarism on Anzac Day, when do we.It's an element of the respect for those who served and for those who died to ask questions such as why and how. Without such questions, there is no respect.''
Originally posted by pibroch
My view is simple - ANZAC Day was initially for Veterans and the public to honour fallen comrades and a social occasion for surviving veterans to catch up.
The young who have never experienced war find value in using the day to honour wholesome Australian values, especially that of mateship, and to respect the selfless personal sacrifice members of the armed forces have made for their mates and for Australian society.
While I'm a strong believer in improving veterans rights and have advocated on their behalf while working with the Department of Veterans Affairs, including in the then-named Vietnam Veterans Counselling Service, I've never served in the armed forces and don't feel connected anymore when attending Anzac Day events.
Personally I don't think Anzac Day is an appropriate time to publicly focus on the rights and wrongs of Australia getting involved in wars because I think that probably detracts from how the majority of veterans want to use their day.
''Personally I don't think Anzac Day is an appropriate time to publicly focus on the rights and wrongs of Australia getting involved in wars because I think that probably detracts from how the majority of veterans want to use their day.''
My personal opinion is that I think bellcurve has got it ----
IMO - the greatest respect of all that we can pay all diggers from the past is to make sure we never ever send any young people in the future - to such a horrible thing as war
to do that - we must hold governments to order ------------- if we do not stand up to people who send our people to war - unnecessarily - then, when we do not stand - we have failed all who have gone before
I would say that the vast majority of wars we have sent our people to since WW2 - we should not have
Anzac day to me - no better day to show those who went before us that we care AND we're prepared to stand and fight the stupidity of sending more off into the horror
