Watch the Footage

Well, by my clock it's November 11 now.
For those of you who don't live in the Commonwealth, that means for me it's now Remembrance Day, a day to honour and remember all the soldiers who fell in all my country's wars.

...It's weird; throughout high school, we would have these incredibly moving Remembrance Day assemblies. Then last year, I wasn't in the country, so a Canadian friend and I made our own poppies to wear, and recited In Flanders Fields to anyone who would listen.
This year, I've been seeing the poppies appearing on campus all week, and there have been a couple of speakers, but... I'm just not feeling it, I guess.

To explain:
At least where I come from, everyone wears a poppy pin to commemorate Remembrance Day-- I'm wearing one as my forum avatar for the day in homage, as well.
And the poppies, at least in part, are due to the poem In Flanders Fields, which has become a sort of anthem for Remembrance Day. (At least, it is in Canada; it was written by a Canadian doctor who later died in battle, during WWI. I'm not sure if it's as well-known in other parts of the Commonwealth.)

In Flanders Fields by John McCrae wrote:In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place, and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

So... yeah. Feel free to discuss that, or Remembrance Day customs/whatever where you come from.
I just ask that we try to keep this thread respectful, despite the general attitude of gleeful mayhem we tend to take in offtopic and everywhere.

Sombrely,
Qara-Xuan

It's called veterans day here in the us

Me and my School celebrated it on Friday instead of today since it's Sunday today. (Even though we could've done it on Monday but I digress). It was nice, we were all respectful and silent. So all in all, it was fine.

Strange. I'm in the Commonwealth, but I've never heard of it.

Did you do the silence? They just finished it where I am.

I always feel slightly uncomfortable about certain aspects of Rememberance day, I must admit, but I also think it's important we don't forget these things.

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them..."

I'm not a supporter of war in any form, and especially not of wars that inevitably result in the deaths of innocent civilians. I find it morally disgusting. However, I am a supporter of soldiers who bravely lay down their lives all over the globe for causes they believe in and for their countries.

I think this will be fitting in ways more than one.

Dryunya wrote:I think this will be fitting in ways more than one.

...

: )

Thanks, Dryu.

In the US, at least the pats where I've lived, we don't have much in the way of traditions regarding Veteran's Day. We have a day off school/work, but it's up to individuals to decide how they want to honor veterans on that day.

On some years I've volunteered at events where we prepared food for homeless veterans (which there are a LOT of) to give them a feast on this day.

I can't recall anything like Remembrance Day in my country, but in the honor of the fallen soldiers, cheers!
*drinks Lime-aid because I'm not old enough to toast with beer*

I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above,
Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love;
The love that asks no question, the love that stands the test
That lays upon the altar the dearest and best;
The love that never falters, the love that pays the price,
The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice.

Cecil Spring-Rice, set to music by Gustav Holst


Britain has a perception of Dr. McCrae as British, but it is is just as well known (if not more) over here.

Remember everyone who fell in World War One.

So many lives wasted. So many young men being sent to their deaths day after day.

Remember.

And if everyone says that, and means it, then the deaths will have not been such a waste.

Dude, you're kinda a month too late.

Endless Sea wrote:Dude, you're kinda a month too late.

OH FIRETRUCK I KNEW I MISSED SOMETHING