This aptly-worded phrase, or variant(s) - as we all know - concludes the ANZAC day dawn services, and is inscribed on Allied war memorials around the globe. Yes, indeed we ought to always remember fallen troops whom we honour every ANZAC day, or Remembrance Sunday, or Veterans day.
Rather coincidentally, a friend of mine posted this youtube video of Akon's "Freedom". Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hW_3Nl2vVsA
While on the close inspection of the lyrics one can justifiably argue that the song is written from the point of view of a disenfranchised American, the images mostly from Africa glaringly tell everyone why they should always remember those we will honour tomorrow. Unfortunately yet factually, those images come from corners of the world where despotic rule is as literally and figuratively endemic as poverty and warlords. If not for the soldiers who fought in the two World Wars against those who intended to dominate the world by their diktat,
we could had been wanting freedom the mentioned parts of the world do not have.
Acknowlegdments
Picture of the Allied Memorial in Yangon, Myanmar, http://www.goldenpagodatravel.com/images/warcemetry1.jpg
Mang, K. - who posted the youtube link above on his facebook page.
http://www.metrolyrics.com/freedom-lyrics-akon.html
Lest we forget....
Revisting my flag proposal
Remembering that red ensign version of current New Zealand flag is recommended to fly on occasions of Maori significance, I realised my flag should reflect the Maori-Pakeha bicultural identity.
So, I suggest the koru becomes red or background of the koru becomes red. I am not in favour of flying red ensign on land since it is customary to fly one on private vessels. Hopefully, my suggestions and union jack in the canton would be sufficiently red for a historically bicultural New Zealand.
secular/religious holidays
In the Western world, these days there is a tendency to make almost everything Christian by history and tradition secular -and presumably "inclusive". Remembering a half-hearted coverage of this matter on TVNZ Breakfast a few days ago, it may be timely for this topic given Easter is this weekend.
Around Christmas and Easter, it is quite customary for the media to sandwich/pepper a few religious-themed articles and present the commercial side of those holidays from advertisements of specials to Santa Clause/Easter bunny decorations in colourful, attractive styles, while fuelling a low-level argument over whether the original religious baggage of the holiday should be dropped altogether or not. Consciously or otherwise, many people also very unsurprisingly try to secularise the greetings such as "Happy Easter/Christmas" by replacing with ubiquitous "Holiday". In reference to this , a blogger who identifies himself as a Buddhist monk said, "...if you can't join others in their celebrations, even if the theology behind it does not correspond with yours, then I think you lack mudita." (Mudita is a Buddhist (Pali and Sanskrit: मुदित) word meaning rejoicing in others' joy.)
Although the author said it to make a point on a Christmas greeting, everyone, who opposes state observance of any religious holiday - be it Christmas, Easter, Ramadan, Wesak or some other - on the grounds that s/he does not share the faith, should ponder on the above quote.
Happy Easter to my readers!
Acknowledgment:
http://sdhammika.blogspot.com/2008/12/happy-christmas.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudita