Remembrance Weekend

[stuckylad]

all heroes every one,just wish politicians would let it sink in more,and think about what they did for this country,and what they are doing.

[bugaloo41]

Lest we forget.

A truly humbling experience each year for me and one perhaps more sharply focussed given the significant losses in the armed forces this year. I cannot speak highly enough of those men and women who have lost their lives and those that put themselves in the firing line for their country daily especially for the pittance many of them are paid.

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.


Gas! Gas! Quick, boys!---An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling,
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime...
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.


In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.


If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,---
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.

[chroma]

I'm downright disgusted with my town.

My towns population is roughly 20k so its not an insignificant ammount of people.

What disgusts me is that as i stood there in my local park with my old man next to the Cenotaph i stumbled upon a realisation, 275 odd people where there, once i discount maybe 150 service personel (army, navy, raf) whos appearance was pretty much mandatory and the police and firemen (say another 50 all in = 200) then the associated dignitaries (politicians, councelours etc) and press say 25 (225), then the actual band say another 25 (250) that leaves 25 spare for you know "voluntary, people whose careers wouldnt depend on an appearance types"

Quite frankly a pittiful turn out.

Couple this with the fact that EVERYONE i know actualy either knows someone be it a friend or family member whos overseas at the moment or whose come back in a bag or worse still. All of whom could definately do with a nice thought and a modicum of respect and dignity. IT WASNT EVEN COLD OR RAINING! the day was spectacular, we got uncharicteristicly mild weather.

Theres really no excuse for my shitty town not to get off its arse and pay some ****ing respects.

Dont misunderstand me, im heavily and often vocaly against this current war but thats on the shoulders of the dumbass politicians who saw fit to send the boys out there, hardly the guy in the fields fault. i cant fault a man for doing his job to the best of his ability, i can however pick a fight with the people ordering him to piss up a rope.

So even the excuse of "im against the war" is a futile argument.

I usualy work on a sunday but ive been holed up in bed for a couple of days now with what im sure amounts to no more than "manflu" and even in the state im in i managed to haul ass down to pay my respects.

Theres really no excuses. Its deplorable, especialy concidering the recent hyperbole of "BNP R TEH HITLER NAZIEZZZ!" arguments that have been abundant in my workplace and local area of late.
The fact that people can talk a good game but fail entirely to show face and honour the men who actualy ensured your not talking german... it makes me feel sick to my core.

Im a cynic at the best of times but this has sealed the deal entirely, ive completely lost faith in the humanity of my fellow citizens. People whom would have you believe that we're losing our herritage to immigrants, asylum seekers and crooked politicians.
The way i see it now, we as a nation have only ourselves to blame.
If you cant get off your arse to go and be counted then you quite frankly deserve everything that you get.