On this day 86 years ago the guns of the First World War finally fell silent. I'm one of those people that prefers Veteran's Day, something tied to an actual historical event, to the "Let's Start our Summer Vacation! Wheeee! Memorial Day." I'd be happier if we got rid of Memorial Day altogether and instead celebrated both VE and VJ day. As someone wiser then me has said, they probably won't change it to suit me.
When I was in New Zealand I had an interesting experiece; their "Veteran's Day" type holiday is ANZAC Day, celebrated in April. Evidently there is a growing number of young people in the country that have taken to attacking the very idea of the holiday as warmongering. They even verbally assault the little old ladies that sell the small flowers that serve as a symbol of rememberance. As an outsider to it all I found that type of response more sad then anything else. It was as if the youth of New Zealand looked at their unburied dead at Gallipoli and in Palestine or those from the Second World War in New Guinea and elsewhere across the Pacific and said "I don't owe you a damn thing."
My own country left 114,000 dead on the battlefields of France or in the depths of the North Atlantic during the course of World War One. Kiwi youth probably won't forgive me my warmongering, but I will still take a moment to remember their sacrifice, say a quick "God bless," and a quicker "Thank you."
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