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Doing something for Veterans on Remembrance Day
Just thought I'd put out a challenge (or at least a suggestion) that we each do something nice for a veteran. In this time of economic good times, many of us are making decent money. However, most of the veterans and their families aren't so lucky. Paying a few coins for a poppy just doesn't seem adequate.
Pay for their gas, help with their groceries, or even just go up to them & thank them for their sacrifices & their service. (clue - look for Veteran's licence plates) If you're related to a veteran, go visit them & let them tell you some war stories. Just a thought I wanted to share. Peace, Anthony |
I am an amateur war historian and a collector of militaria.
It is sad that most people now see rememberance day as just another day off work and never stop to think about what it really means. :( |
It's not really doing much for veteran's but we are getting married this Remembrance Day in honor of my Dad who was a Commander in the Canadian Navy and passed away 3 years ago.
I do wish I had recorded some of his experiences which were pretty amazing. Thank you Anthony for your challange. Greg- we should swap some stories sometime. |
Something I find sad,is that Remembrance day isn't a stat holiday.Our soldiers and Vets put their lives on the line for our freedom.Some may argue that wars aren't about freedom,and that may or may not be true.But the soldier does what he is asked to do by our government,often at a high cost to themselves or those close to them.Without them and their sacrifices where would we be?Yet the one day a year we set aside to remember and give thanks,isn't even a true holiday.I'm not sure how other people feel about this,but I would gladly trade turkey day, or Rabbit day, or even labor day to make Remembrance Day a real holiday.
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We all do something every single day to honour the veterans.... We enjoy and appreciate our freedom. That's what they've fought and given their lives for..... And I thank them from the bottom of my heart!
Rememberance Day is a holiday, it just happens to fall on the Sunday this year. We'd all have it off if it was in the middle of the week. But having Monday off because it falls on the Sunday wouldn't make it any more special. It's the specific day that's important. JMO. |
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I looked it up and you are right thankfully it is a stat holiday.I was under the impression it was a day off,but not a stat.So in that regard please feel free to ignore my last rant or make fun of me :redface: I feel better now |
It is a stat holiday but most of the places I work for ignore that and just give the employees an extra day at Christmas. :cry:
I remember walking out of an accounting seminar held on Nov 11th one year when the guy didn't shut up at 11 and observe the two minutes of silence. Man, did people think I was nuts. I have been to the ceremonies at the museums, that is really awesome. I usually don't work that day, but as I say, I have to be available for my clients that are, but I don't go before 11. I have a few old friends at the Legion, we do pull tickets and share a few laughs. |
Like Emily said, more and more companies do not even gove their staff the day off anymore and elect to give another day instead, I think that is disgusting :(
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I'm doing a memorial tattoo for a guy who's Dad served in the armed forces on rememberance day.
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Every war is a lie; starting from day zero. There is no enemy only what poor soldiers were “told” that there is.
War is not a solution it’s a problem. How about those who were killed on the other side will we remember them ? Call me any name you want; I would NEVER put a sign of bloody murder on, this is something we need to forget not to remember. I feel for veterans and my grand father was one, but I think we should get on the next level of conscience and stop the killings of ALL life on this beautiful planet. I am typing this and my hands are shaking. I have been to many countries including Middle and Far East. People are same everywhere, we are Not different. There is no reason to kill anybody. With respect to everybody; I understand and apologize if there is difference in opinions. |
I understand what you are saying Andresont, however I'm not sure if I agree with the means to your ends.
Think of the kid who hates learning history in school. What would you tell him to encourage him. I would tell him that it's important to learn from history. "Those who do not learn from history, are doomed to repeat it." I think of one of the worst disasters in aviation history (Tenerife, Canary Islands, 1977). Two 747's collided on the runway as one attempted take off while the other was still taxiing. I don't know why exactly, but I am haunted by this story. It turns out that the process of radio communications had many flaws and the process of radio communications were changed as a result of this accident. Had the accident not occured, the processes would not have changed. Which, in the end, means that another disaster of the same circumstances would be more likely. So, it is a sad story, but we learned from it and made changes. I know this may seem irrelevant to this topic but to me, it is not. To me it illustrates that we can learn from history. My family was imprisoned, interred, segregated and tortured as P.O.W.s in WWII. They witnessed countless horrors and murders. These were civilians, not soldiers. So I absolutely agree with you 100% that war is a problem and not a solution. Nevertheless, I owe my existence to those who liberated my family. And I recognize that they made many sacrifices. Remembrance Day to me is about honoring those who served. Yes, politically, there are fights we shouldn't fight. But those who do serve are owed our gratitude, not our scorn. If it helps you, use Remembrance Day to honor ALL those who sacrificed. It is not a sign of "bloody murder", it is a sign of regret and sadness for those we have lost, and a promise to not forget. Because forgetting would be the saddest outcome of all. |
Also, if only the "bad guys" choose to make war and the "good guys" don't, then guess who wins.
In WWII, if the Allies, including Canada, had not made the sacrifices needed to stand up to the Axis forces, we would now be living in a world run by Nazi Germany and their Facist partners. More recent wars may be more politically muddled, but I would not want to live in a world where Hitler & his cronies were victorious & in charge. If for no other reason, I choose to honor the people who served and especially those who died so I can enjoy my freedom & human rights. I study history as a hobby & while wars are horrific, the fight for peace & freedom is sometimes necessary. My grandparents & other members of my family had to live through the Japanese occupation of Malaysia during the Second World War. Again, it is only because others were willing to make the sacrifices that they & countless others survived. In a very real sense, I owe my very existence to those brave souls. Anthony |
My family's story is similar as they were in Indonesia when that country became occupied.
I've asked my Dad if he misses living in a tropical country and would he ever go back to Indonesia. He's gone to visit boyhood friends, but no, he would never go back, the memories are terrible. Of course he would prefer to live in a tropical country but he and my Mom chose Canada to build a life in and have no regrets. Sometimes I have to remind myself, like this morning as I sat shivering in my car on my drive to work, that there are worse things than cold to live with. |
Yes, Delphinus and SHF, many don't realize what their life would be like today without that war.
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Tony, I had no idea. I've heard stories from Glenda's family about life in the Phillipines under Japanese occupation and how horrible it was.
I would enjoy to hear your the story of your family one day if you are comfortable sharing it. |
I always remember my grandfathers on Remembrance Day:
Grandpa Jespersen - Pilot http://xb7.xanga.com/c3ea6ae32913381.../m55302932.jpg Grandpa Spady - Airplane Mechanic http://x8a.xanga.com/1770277108db23501409/m3299401.jpg |
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I think we Are progressing; and the good thing is that unlike only few hundred years ago those who had different opinion were burnt or hanged at the city square for entertainment of the crowd, Today we are more civilized. But we need to get better then that.
As long as this thread is still open (Wow) So lets discuss this shell we. War has to stop at some point. Nazi were bad so why repeat the same, why not learn from their mistake? Should we burn all BMW’s and kill all the Germans now because of the Nazi’s past? We are not able to care for veterans here nor we able to care for POW’s STILL left in Vietnam and they are dying, only few hundred left; still suffering in prison. What good is this “Remembrance Day” to Them? They are left behind no one cares anyway, this is all big shame. So why young people go to war? Confused and brain washed yes, like Pat Tillman was; they are TOLD that there is an enemy, but they still have choice. It’s not like in some European countries and Israel where people Must serve no choice period. I can understand supporting these troops, but not when they make their own conscious decision. I wonder if people know that many US soldiers now realized that they made a BIG mistake and they hide here in Canada? Almost 3 thousands now! They even have their own lawyer. But hey lets call them deserters and make them criminals; poof problem fixed… Do we see foreign soldiers in our back yards? Did any country in the world EVER used nukes? Only Americans did Twice ! And we pay for all this … When we are TOLD that we are fighting for freedom we loose both freedom and security. We are always fighting some imaginative enemy; before it was Germany, Russia and many more , now its just war on terrorism , something that you can’t put your finger on . Very creative so funds can be pulled for nothing. 6 years after 9/11 gazilion $ spent and they tell us that is Al-Qaida is even more powerful today then before ? If war HAS to happen then why SOMPLACE else, why it is always OTHER country that has to suffer for “ FREEDOM” ? And “coincidently” it is Always the one that has Oil (!) Why are we not fighting for freedom in Africa? (no oil there?) Wake up people! Zeitgeist movie tells the truth. Alex Jones is true patriot. CoastToCoastAM is alternative news media source. 15 million listeners over 500 affiliate radio stations. So I am just going to quote Delphinus "Those who do not learn from history, are doomed to repeat it." Love and Peace to you all. ~~~ |
Hey, Andresont,
NOBODY here is claiming to support the War in Iraq. This thread is about showing our love & support for our men & women who have served honourably & made sacrifices for our intangible freedoms & rights. I just wanted people to examine what we've each done or not done on Remembrance Day. On Mother's day we buy her flowers, chocolates & take her out for dinner. On Father's day we buy him a tie & go for dinner. On Remembrance or Veteran's Day we do what? |
I think you are mixing several very distinct issues and blending them into one.
I don't see how anyone could argue against your premise that war is bad. But tell it to the politicians and leaders, not to those who wish to try to comprehend the sacrifices made by INDIVIDUALS, who believed they were making those sacrifices towards a greater good. I'm not sure I can offer more to this discussion. I wish there wasn't fighting in Iraq and I wish there wasn't fighting in Afganistan and I wish there wasn't such things as genocide and terrorism. And I wish that they could simply be wished away with something as simple as a wish. Even if one day we get there, we would still have to have a Remembrance Day to remember those fallen before their time. |
As a serving soldier with 1 PPCLI I would like to add a couple of things.
First, I personally received a phone call over the weekend from a business associate I hadn't heard from in years..all he said thanks for what I do and I tell ya, it felt good to be recognized for the sacrifices that soldiers do make... Second, this is not about supporting war. this is about the soldiers who have, in the past and will to continue to put their lives on the line. I have personally been in Kosovo, Bosnia, and afghanistan. Unfortunately there are bad people who do bad things I agree, war is hell and stupid. I would love to live in a world were there wasn't war. However, until we get rid of the sickos, dictators, etc etc I support what we do. As so do the vast majority of the population...thankfully they realize that we live in a real world not ideal. Ask the albanians that were saved after thousands of their brethern were slaughtered by the thousands by the serbs in kosovo whether or not they think that canadian soldiers are butchers and should be forgotten. Ask the dutch that still are appreciative of canadians who made the ultimate sacrifice almost a century ago. The list goes on and on. if you think that soldiers are unnecessary, you live in a dream world. Remembering those that sacrifice their lives and lifestyles so that the rest of society can live in a relative peace is the least society can do for those that do what we do. Showing support for the war in iraq or afghanistan should not be confused with showing support for the people that put everything on the line. As well, Being a soldier doesn't make you a murderer. I, thankfully, have never had to end anyone's life in the 12 years of doing what I do. But I know that I have done alot of good.. How do I know this? From the smiles of the children of the countries I have been in. They appreciate the sacrifices being made. Too bad some in our own country don't. For those that do, thanks MCpl Neal Spicer 1st Battalion Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry. |
MCpl Neal Spicer,
If you ever make it to the coast, look me up & I'll make you dinner, we'll have some drinks & you can tell me some of your "war-stories." Thank you for serving. Anthony |
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We honor the veterans! And ... make a point :) ...Of learning the history lesson ! BTW we have less and less of intangible the way these things are going. |
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And perhaps you could make your point without the "wake up people". |
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How about keep an open mind? |
Sad to see how a well meant thread can end up as a war debate.:cry:
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It may sound naďve and simplified but what is the alternative? By the way terrorism is non existent entity it’s made up. |
I am sorry, but I can't believe you are that naive.
If all the good people stop standing up to the bad people, the bad people win.....yeahh....facism here we come. I agree that terrorism has become a overused term. however, terrorism has been around for centuries... I guess we just have to agree to disagree. |
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No arguments here, just civilized discussion. |
Andresont,
Please leave my thread alone. It is about honouring individuals who have served faithfully and sacrificed for our freedoms. It is not a political debate about war. You obviously have strong anti-war feelings, but start your own thread if you want to discuss those political views, just as you start many threads about UFOs & life on other planets. This is not a debating thread. You can start one if you like. Sorry, but you really are ruining the spirit of this thread. Start a "I hate Bush" thread of your own to rant in. I'll join you there & provide lots of examples. Anthony |
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You are welcome to rant about any thing you want on any of my threads. By the way I think none of the threads are our own, but hey what do I know. I will stop posting on this thread as you wish. Russell. P.S. I would like you to join me on some other thread for sure; can you keep your promise? :) |
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