Senator Andrew Bartlett
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
 
11th November has some momentous anniversaries.


Most important is Remembrance Day, the anniversary of the end of World War I in 1918, where we acknowledge our war dead and the sacrifice they made. Such events bring up conflicting views and ideals. The fact that World War I is known as the war to end all wars in many ways illustrates the futility of war itself. There is an inherent contradiction between emphasising on one hand the sacrifice of those who die in war and how this defended our nation and its freedoms and on the other hand the futility of many wars and how there is no guarantee some of those freedoms are not taken away by other means.

Yet, even in a conflict such as Vietnam, now widely acknowledged as a mistake even by military figures, there is no doubt that those who died did so defending our nation – the tragedy is not just that they died, but that clearly they did not need to die as our Government did not need to send them to war.

For me, days like Remembrance Day are important for 3 main reasons:
  • Firstly for the families of those who have lost loved ones to war, it is a day that above else belongs to them. Whilst almost every death of a young loved one is heartbreaking, there is a unique poignancy about those who die in a war on foreign soil.
  • Secondly, the focus on the Horror, the futility and the immense human cost of war should serve to make us always strive to reduce the potential of it happening again, to not send more young Australians to kill and be killed, to be injured and scarred for life. This aspect of remembrance events seems to be lost on most Governments for some reason.
  • Thirdly, it is a day for veterans and their families in particular. Whilst we are remembering those who shall not grow old, it is the ones who do grow old who often continue to bear the pain.
I cannot really imagine the surreal horror of fighting in a war, and whilst I focus my efforts on disarmament and trying to prevent and oppose war, I acknowledge there must always be Australians willing to go off to fight them. Those who do and then return (and the families of those who don't) deserve special recognition and support.

One thing I find hard not to be cynical about is the blasé willingness of Governments to send men and women off to war and their enthusiasm to welcome them back with parades and medals, but their reluctance to provide the sort of longer-term care that so many of them need and all of them deserve.

posted by Andrew Bartlett @ Wednesday, November 10, 2004 Permalink
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