With only 5 WW1 veterans still surviving and WW2 vets ageing into their late 80’s, every Remembrance Day Parade we can still attend with them becomes more and more special.
If there is one in your town, consider attending it?
Or make a donation when a homeless Veteran asks for a hand out
Although accurate numbers are impossible to come by – no one keeps national records on homeless veterans – the VA estimates that 131,000 veterans are homeless on any given night. And approximately twice that many experience homelessness over the course of a year. Conservatively, one out of every three homeless men who is sleeping in a doorway, alley or box in our cities and rural communities has put on a uniform and served this country. According to the National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients (U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness and the Urban Institute, 1999), veterans account for 23 percent of all homeless people in America. from: http://www.nchv.org/background.cfm
I was in a busy hotel lounge for a meeting this morning. The place was crowded with lots of people having business meetings. Just before 11am the hotel staff turned up the sound on the TVs in the room covering the remembrance service.
It was very moving that EVERYONE respected the silence at 11am.
The modern business world is often criticised for being focused on nothing but the pursuit of profit. It was nice to see that people chose to make time to remember.
Conservatively, one out of every three homeless men who is sleeping in a doorway, alley or box in our cities and rural communities has put on a uniform and served the USA.
What are the stats in your grateful nation?
I am sad to say that 11:00 rolled around and the cook and I missed the minute of silence, we realized around noon that we missed it. I felt bad as this is only the second time since i was a kid that I have failed to honor our fallen solders with a minute of silence on “the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month” :o
IMHO if you feel bad that you missed the silence then you honour them by caring that you missed it.
The so-called war to end all wars, was ended 91 years ago today. This day used to be used to celebrate that day, but instead, today it is a national holiday that is used to glorify war and celebrate those who do the State’s killing.
Let’s have some silence to think about that.
Not here it isn’t.
I honoured the silence today, I was in town with my friend on the way to the town hall, we heard the clock chime so stopped talking and slowly walked to the town hall (around 30yds around the corner) when a woman yelled at us to stop, then just stared at us. She looked absolutely livid to start with, but I’m sure her face was about to explode when a drunk walked past on his phone, weaving around the people stopped in the street. I admit that annoyed me too though.
it was strange though. our town is a garrison town, and is usually very noisy, crowded, congested and no one really cares about anyone else on the street, but as soon as the clock went, and the bugle started the town just fell into an odd silence., and after the two minutes it just went back to normal with people running off murmuring to each other.
+1 for Canada
Maybe it’s the difference between calling it ‘Remembrance’ Day and ‘Veteran’s Day’??
On every Remembrance Day for almost a decade now, news stations and politicians have reminded me to honour those brave soldiers who gave their lives while fighting for peace and stability in Afghanistan. Sounds like glorifying war to me.
What about the Mother award thing, where one mother who lost a son is chosen each year to represent those who had to stay behind, and sacrifice that way?
I felt especially this year there was an emphasis on the people who had to stay behind while loved ones fought, and how they suffered while waiting.
I also don’t think that simply remembering the brave soldiers who died is glorifying that they killed. It’s just remembering.
In the USA, today is Veterans Day, to honor the living veterans.
We also have Memorial Day, in May, to honor the dead soldiers.
What is it where you are?
Okay.
Heh. Nice tags.
Let us remember, that the armistice was signed at 5 am on November 11th, but that it was not until 6 hours later that it was to take effect. Let us have silence to ponder the number of soldiers that died in those 6 hours, and for what they died for… to make it be the perfect alliteration of the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month.
At least they didn’t wait eleven more minutes.
"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."
My grandfather was a WWI veteran, and was probably the bravest man I’ve ever known, but unfortunately, I didn’t know him very long. He died 17 years ago today (a fitting day for a WWI vet), at the ripe old age of 97. Every veteran’s day I remember him and all the other veterans who fought so hard to protect our country by having a moment of silence and contemplating all the good things in life… It’s always a reflective day for me…
We will rememeber them.
I think of the families …
for every small village in France there is a monument with so many names: whole families wiped out…
When I was a teen in Morocco I saw my teacher weep by citing the names of former pupils that died in WWII (“north africans” volunteers paid a heavy tribute) I could not realise why an adult was weeping …
now I know.
but also I witness the franco-german reconciliation and have hope for others (Still waiting for another wall to crumble: the one between Israel and Palestine).
If it makes you feel any better, remember that communications on the battlefield were not what they are today. It may have taken a few days to get the word out to all combatants. I don’t know if they had portable radios in the trenches, for instance.
Otherwise I agree with you. Why not just say it ends now? Is this where the expression “at the eleventh hour” comes from?
Despite its invisible-ness, that wall is many times higher, and much thicker, than the Berlin one. I hope to see it in my lifetime, but will not be holding my breath…