Anzac Ceremony for every game

[Schneebly]

They should do the national anthems at every game,

Do you want to turn the AFL into the NFL?
Do you want any player who doesn’t stand with hand over heart for the anthem to be kicked out of the league as well?

 

[Gibbke]

Thank you

I started reading your post and couldn't help but think "oh my god, please no". The reason for that is we hear about islamic schools teaching of hate and celebrating the fallen having forty virgins. In the US my aunty had a one our lesson each week, in primary school, on how to defeat the Soviets. As such whenever I hear about teaching kids about war I get really nervous. It can be brainwashing or as your comments re the w***er teaching kids about the 500 to 50 simply disrespectful and missing the whole point.

but thank you, for teaching kids with the approach, balance and perspective you take.

To clarify, the 50-500 comment was made by an Aus army general on the news on the anniversary of that charge, not a teacher. I'd be horrified, and I hope vocal on the spot, if that happened in a classroom. Unlikely to happen though, because teaching in Australia is a fairly left wing profession...!

There's one little exercise I try with the kids (high school). I pretend to be a recruiting officer/drill sargeant, and ask all boys to stand up. Those born on an odd day are told to sit down, those on an even day stay up. They've been recruited to fight (might not be historically accurate, but the other kids love the bit where I shout in someone's ear and call them a "maggot"!). They then are asked to stand at the back of the room, and walk towards me at the front - they are rushing the enemy trench. As soon as I say their name and "BANG!", they have to go outside the room where the class can't see them. Noone ever reaches the front. You get some stunned looks when the rest of the class is told that the empty seats represent friends who have died in war...it really hits home...

Then the guys come back in, and we do the "gross" approach - imagine being stuck in a trench for eight months without a toilet suffering from a constant cold and the smell of death, that sort of thing. The kids also drop jaws when they are told that only a person with medical knowledge - like their gp - could invent something like poison gas to kill soldiers. I mentioned an Aussie who about 15 years ago won a design award for a weapon now used by the US army - they can see the conflict in morality here. The one they really ponder though is being told that, in all likelihood, the old guy standing at the ceremony that day might have seen friends actually die in front of him. I avoid graphic stuff like details of war injuries, they are kids, but talking about lack of comfort is something a kid can identify with...

I love the way the kids behave on the day, though, always respectful. The DP just the other day said it's great for them to sit in a hall for an hour and just watch quietly, when for once a school-based event is not about them, and I agree...

 

[Dixie Normous]

Selling Anzac Day caps is disgustingly corny and tacky (unless the money raised is being donated to the RSL or a similar organisation)

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

Please don't garnish your opinion with "ex-serviceman" in some pathetic attempt to add credibility to your argument. You can't call out the nationalism of ANZAC day and expect to tap into the universal adoration of servicemen, which something that's far more promoted than nationalism on the day, as your benefit.

As a civilian, I simply read that as "I'm an ex-serviceman, and this is my opinion". If anything it proves that ex-servicemen and ex-servicewomen (even currently serving ones) are not some monolithic Entity with a single hive mind. They are as a forest, but made from individual trees.

 

[joy division]

The entire thing led by the media and mostly importantly the AFL who fuel this fire is completely distasteful. The entire holiday needs revising.

 

[gavaniacono]

funny how a thumping loss like Anzac Day makes you humble, but a big win turns you into a w***er...

A nice observation, causing me some reflection I must say.

 

[Farm Boy]

If you don't like the ceremony then turn the TV off and back on when the game starts. Not hard.

 

[Great8]

Do you want to turn the AFL into the NFL?
Do you want any player who doesn’t stand with hand over heart for the anthem to be kicked out of the league as well?

It’s not about turning the AFL into the NFL. It’s about respect for your country and the National Anthem should be played before every game IMO

 

[PetterdHoisted]

There's a superimposed "Lest We Forget" banner on the screen on the broadcast.

Which begs the question? Lest we forget what? The "sacrifice" the diggers made for us? Turkey wasn't threatening Australia in 1915 in any way, shape or form. Nor has the "bad guy" in any conflict outside of Japan 1941-45. Surely our politicians would love for us to forget why Australia gets involved in most wars, especially in the Middle East this century.

lol, yeah those Ottomans were the good guys, no vicious putting down of rebellions or slavery in their dominions, no sir.

The ANZACS and British who cleared the Ottoman imperialists out from the Sinai to the modern Turkish/Syrian border were fighting a good fight. Sadly what came after for all those countries we liberated was not perfect to say the least, especially with Palestine not ending up with independence.

Also, are you inferring that oil was a strong motive? The British were still on the fence on the great coal vs oil debate, and the Germans didn't switch to oil till after WWI...I reckon nationalism/imperialism was the still the biggest driver, but I'm no historian.

 

[Bald]

Do you want to turn the AFL into the NFL?
Do you want any player who doesn’t stand with hand over heart for the anthem to be kicked out of the league as well?

I was referring to this round.

The answers to both of your questions are no, by the way. Would you like to know any more of my views on the game or are you comfortable enough formulating your own?

 

[Jables]

Wow. So 9 ANZAC tributes a year before the footy to men who sacrificed their life for this country offends you. No words.

Entitlement at its finest is all I can say.

Yeah, offends is the right word there. This isn't about making money or drawing in crowds or anything, this is for people like you to get on their high horse and pretend they are honouring ANZAC's by watching the footy. That's efficiency I guess.

I don't think it's a massive deal, vets probably benefit in some way but the whole thing is very ... American.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Selling Anzac Day caps is disgustingly corny and tacky (unless the money raised is being donated to the RSL or a similar organisation)

They throw $2 per cap or something to the RSL to take care of that

 

[kranky al]

I'd imagine your view would be in a minority amongst your colleagues?

You might be surprised

I use it to reflect on a good mate and a solid digger who gave his all.

But im concerned that its a huge recruiting tool for the next generation of poor bastards who are ignored by dva till enough of them are dead so it costs less.

I am thoroughly disgusted by a succession of governments that love to wave the jingoistic flag once a year but then totally refuse to back it up the other 364 days of the year.

Watching blokes every week topping themselves because of a dva that insists on bullshit fuccaround bureaucracy that a guy with savage ptsd is totally inequipped to deal with.

But yeah alls well because we put ten minutes aside at a bunch of footy matches

 

[Contra Mundum]

"Patriotism is the last refuge... to which a scoundrel CLINGS

 

[Bardo State]

I'm not exactly sure where the line is that separates the necessary reflection and tribute to the people that lost their lives fighting in wars and an exercise in lionising service members as to romanticise the idea of war and justify more of it. But I damn sure know we've crossed it.

It'll be Syria next, or maybe Iran, North Korea or some Northern African country. And lives will be lost on all sides. But we've gotta support the diggers...

 

[Bardo State]

Hey guys, was wondering if anyone here had been to a Anzac Day game? Is the minute of silence truely as quiet as tv makes it seem?

Typically, yeah. It's pretty well observed.

 

[Bardo State]

They should do the national anthems at every game, but the ceremony should be just Anzac Day.

Ew. Can we not completely become the United States, please?

 

[Dixie Normous]

We need a bit of this on Anzac Day

 

[PerthBoy86]

It does seem a bit excessive, but I have no strong feelings either way. I don't have an issue with it, but them singing the NZ anthem was kinda odd.

 

[Gibbke]

Frank Gifford...he's not Sancho...

 

[Bardo State]

"We pay respects to those who paid the ultimate price to protect our land" ~ Sarah Jones, Fox Footy

"Grateful for the sacrifice that lets us play on this special day" ~ Brendan Goddard, Herald Sun

There's something very unsettling about the perversion of the ANZAC narrative. They weren't defending anything. Turkey wasn't going to invade Darwin. The ANZACs didn't actually do anything to 'protect' Australia in World War I.

 

[twiggy4PM]

Not a big fan of having it spread over a 6 day period. Anzac Day itself, Anzac Day eve - certainly.
The Friday that is 5 days before Anzac Day just because 2 footy teams are playing, not so sure. Next Friday and Saturday are closer to the day so why not hold the ceremony then?

There is a difference between actually commemorating a solemn occasion and day of remembrance and participating in symbolism for symbolism's sake.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

"We pay respects to those who paid the ultimate price to protect our land" ~ Sarah Jones, Fox Footy

"Grateful for the sacrifice that lets us play on this special day" ~ Brendan Goddard, Herald Sun

There's something very unsettling about the perversion of the ANZAC narrative. They weren't defending anything. Turkey wasn't going to invade Darwin. The ANZACs didn't actually do anything to 'protect' Australia in World War I.

It’s a day used to commemorate all those who’ve passed in service, not just WW1.

As for the Turkish, they had signed a secret alliance with the Germans and were declared enemies of the British and French. We were obviously at war with them, to suggest we weren’t is foolish.

It was the first major military campaign we were involved in post Federation, hence the use of the date.

 

[DanA]

For me;

I'd attend a dawn Anzac day service and then tune in to the Collingwood/Essendon game and felt it was a good way to show my respect to our service men. But this year having watched three games before the day, I feel like the impact that dawn service will have on me is going to be a bit watered down and I don't want that.

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

lol, yeah those Ottomans were the good guys, no vicious putting down of rebellions or slavery in their dominions, no sir.

The ANZACS and British who cleared the Ottoman imperialists out from the Sinai to the modern Turkish/Syrian border were fighting a good fight. Sadly what came after for all those countries we liberated was not perfect to say the least, especially with Palestine not ending up with independence.

Also, are you inferring that oil was a strong motive? The British were still on the fence on the great coal vs oil debate, and the Germans didn't switch to oil till after WWI...I reckon nationalism/imperialism was the still the biggest driver, but I'm no historian.

World War the First (to give it its monarchical title); a turkeyslappin' contest between the Royal Houses of Europe, guest starring the Ottoman Empire. If not actually evil, each and every side marched under a murky grey banner of abject amorality.

At the national head-of-state level, the TOP level, there were NO good guys in World War the First. Each threw countless good lives full of promise away like they were nothing.

F*ck them all. They and their descendents.