All the kids were sharing stories about their ancestors who had died in World War One or World War Two. I felt left out. I made up a story. I said that my Great-Grandfather had been killed in World War One. I felt bad for lying, but I wanted to fit in. I wanted some connection to this Day that we were always told was so important, but which I felt no real connection to.
Later I found out that my Great-Grandfather was killed in World War One. He wasn't an ANZAC, as he was English. But still, I guess I do have a connection to this Day.
I had made up a true story.
I still feel disconnected though. Watching the march or the service frankly just makes me uncomfortable. I cannot reconcile, within my mind, the way the media and the powers-that-be put on such a song-and-dance of honouring those whose lives were wasted in war. Then in the next breath they are doing everything they can to glorify "fighting for your nation".
I was at the cinema the other day. On the seatbelt-strapping that separates the queues at the ticket booth, was printed a row of tanks and the phone number to enlist in the Armed Services. No-one else seemed to understand how appalled I was to see this advertisement for the joys of being cannon-fodder, on display for all the kiddies lining up to see Ice Age 2. I guess I'm just a filthy peacenik.
I would like to see them advertise what you're really signing up for.
Indeed, they are signing up to defend their country... with the very real risk of being harmed in the process.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't arguing about the ideology of joining the military (that's a whole other debate), I was objecting to the way the army is marketed to teens as some kind of adventure holiday, rather than the extremely dangerous and morally ambiguous institution that it is.
Incidentally, you claim you "signed up for the military so people like [me] have the freedom to bitch moan and complain". By being in the military, you are putting your butt on the line - supposedly to protect ideals like this country's freedom of speech. And yet you tell me to "stfu" and call me a retard if I say something you don't agree with.
So if you're willing to contradict your own ideals so quickly, why exactly did you sign up?