Cuppa
25th April 2013, 11:41 AM
I have mixed feelings about Anzac Day.
Let me be clear - I, like many/most of the war veterans & their families, am anti war, but having said that still feel it more than appropriate to pay respect to those who have been lost or damaged in the name of our country, including of course the families of veterans.
Usually my 'remembrance' is a private affair, but I do remember. I have once attended an Anzac Day service, when we were in Carnarvon, WA, & I admit that I found the whole thing quite moving. I think it important that the Anzac Day tradition continues for a variety of reasons. It pays due respect, but it is also one of those important traditions that tell us as Australians who we are as a nation/community. Such rituals are extremely important.
But ...... It concerns me greatly that many confuse the important aspects of celebrating mateship & connectedness as an excuse to get pissed. This 'using' of one of our country's most important rituals as a reason to drink has become an increasing problem over the past decade or more, to the extent that the police have been issuing warnings to us about drinking excessively in the past few days leading up to Anzac Day.
In view of this problem, I very much question the 'Raise a glass' campaign run by the VB brewery with General Cosgrove as the front man. Of course Legacy, which the campaign supports, is worthy of support, but I find the acceptance of the association between a brewery, clearly promoting drinking, & Anzac Day worrying. Not only that, but in light of the increasing 'alcohol problems' on Anzac Day I find it disrespectful to veterans & their families, regardless of how they dress it up.
Don't get me wrong, if there was no increasing problem of binge drinking in our community associated with our 'ritual days' (mainly Anzac Day & Australia Day) I would see no problem with the 'Raise a glass' campaign, as having a couple of drinks with mates is not only reasonable, but a pleasant & enjoyable thing to do.
But I fear that for many getting rat-arsed is more important than remembrance. Which is better - talking with mates about the values that have made our country what it is, with or without a glass or two, or doing the same with repetitive & slurred speech because this is what 'mates do'?
It is a difficult problem to address because anyone who has a drink tends to feel the need to defend what they do, BUT I am not saying that having a drink is wrong, I am however raising the issue of binge drinking in our community, & drawing a link between the example offered by adults to young people generally, as this example is often taken to extremes by the youngsters. It's just that ’special days' like Anzac Day highlight the problem, & are to an increasing extent hijacked by the problem, which unfortunately devalues the tradition. I don't think our diggers would have felt proud to see our youngsters wiping themselves out in their name - do you?
Well that's got that off my chest for another year. Take it easy folks & have a good day.
Cuppa
Let me be clear - I, like many/most of the war veterans & their families, am anti war, but having said that still feel it more than appropriate to pay respect to those who have been lost or damaged in the name of our country, including of course the families of veterans.
Usually my 'remembrance' is a private affair, but I do remember. I have once attended an Anzac Day service, when we were in Carnarvon, WA, & I admit that I found the whole thing quite moving. I think it important that the Anzac Day tradition continues for a variety of reasons. It pays due respect, but it is also one of those important traditions that tell us as Australians who we are as a nation/community. Such rituals are extremely important.
But ...... It concerns me greatly that many confuse the important aspects of celebrating mateship & connectedness as an excuse to get pissed. This 'using' of one of our country's most important rituals as a reason to drink has become an increasing problem over the past decade or more, to the extent that the police have been issuing warnings to us about drinking excessively in the past few days leading up to Anzac Day.
In view of this problem, I very much question the 'Raise a glass' campaign run by the VB brewery with General Cosgrove as the front man. Of course Legacy, which the campaign supports, is worthy of support, but I find the acceptance of the association between a brewery, clearly promoting drinking, & Anzac Day worrying. Not only that, but in light of the increasing 'alcohol problems' on Anzac Day I find it disrespectful to veterans & their families, regardless of how they dress it up.
Don't get me wrong, if there was no increasing problem of binge drinking in our community associated with our 'ritual days' (mainly Anzac Day & Australia Day) I would see no problem with the 'Raise a glass' campaign, as having a couple of drinks with mates is not only reasonable, but a pleasant & enjoyable thing to do.
But I fear that for many getting rat-arsed is more important than remembrance. Which is better - talking with mates about the values that have made our country what it is, with or without a glass or two, or doing the same with repetitive & slurred speech because this is what 'mates do'?
It is a difficult problem to address because anyone who has a drink tends to feel the need to defend what they do, BUT I am not saying that having a drink is wrong, I am however raising the issue of binge drinking in our community, & drawing a link between the example offered by adults to young people generally, as this example is often taken to extremes by the youngsters. It's just that ’special days' like Anzac Day highlight the problem, & are to an increasing extent hijacked by the problem, which unfortunately devalues the tradition. I don't think our diggers would have felt proud to see our youngsters wiping themselves out in their name - do you?
Well that's got that off my chest for another year. Take it easy folks & have a good day.
Cuppa