A moment's silence
I did know that yesterday was
Remembrance Day .
That is the day when Britain mourns its own war dead. My family has few casualties of war; my grandfather was injured at the Somme in World War I, my father survived World War II and I wasn't arrested at any anti-Vietnam War demonstration. We have been relatively fortunate, unlike those who mourn loved ones lost in unnecessary wars .
Maybe I remain an unashamed idealist, but I have problems in justifying any war. In every generation there are evil bastards who grab the world's attention, generally when they start slaughtering their own citizens. Some, such as Suharto, are given tacit support by so-called civilised and democratic countries who gang up on other despots, such as Saddam, who fail to support their geo-political interests.
The resulting cannon fodder is what is commemorated every year. The numbers are
so vast that individual sacrifices are either over-looked or become as symbolic as the Unknown Soldier. How come the number of deaths among the occupying/liberating forces in Iraq are
known whereas the "collateral damage" among the 'liberated' population is
classified or
guestimated?
For me, therefore, Remembrance Day is jingoistic nonsense.
A moment's silence should be observed every day for Man's inhumanity.
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