Being realistic about Anzac Day
As we took a moment during Anzac Day yesterday to reflect on Australia’s war-time sacrifice, the words ‘lest we forget’ seemed to ring louder than usual.
Anzac Day means different things to different people. For some, it is all about quiet and reflective commemoration. For others, it is a chance to celebrate national spirit, courage and endeavour. In many circumstances it can be simply a history lesson.
For some, the reminder of the heavy and bloody loss of life and innocence comes as a warning about the failings we have as the primary decisionmaking life form on the planet.
What sort of animal, supposedly with an innate ability to rationalise and understand what is right and wrong, can reach a stage where it’s appropriate to destroy itself and other members of its kind?
As humans, with as many weaknesses as strengths, we have the potential to be as stupid as we are smart. As a result, we have evolved to rely heavily on what we learn to ensure we don’t repeat mistakes.
So, lest we forget. What Anzac Day does, apart from everything, reminds us we can never fall into the trap of letting time wash over what we know and understand about engaging in deadly conflict.
It is important to remember the occasion is as much about what is happening today, as it is about what happened years ago and that war is about gaining advantage by killing.
Other nations too have commemoration services to reflect on war-time sacrifice and must surely hate as much as any of us the idea of living in a world of man-made death and destruction.
As we ponder the loss of life on the hell of the Western Front and Gallipoli during the First World War, the jungles, islands and desert theatres of the Second World War and the mess of Korea, Vietnam and all other conflicts, have we as a world community learnt anything? I’m not sure.
Some of us couldn’t help but note the irony, as we prepared for Anzac Day services, that North Korea declared Australia a potential target as part of its sabre-rattling exercise with the United States.
The message is there. Our reaction needs to be realistic and recognise, above all, the stupidity of war.