Remembrance Day is a conflicted day for me, I have had the absolute luxury of never having to fight in an armed conflict and for that I am grateful.
Conversely, the application of military power is always the sign of the failure of the human spirit when we must resort to destroying nations and people for what is purported to be what is “right”. We must remember all of those who gave their lives and have had their lives taken from them. John Pilgers quote speaks to the merciless nature of war.
During World War One, 10% of all casualties were civilians.
During World War Two, the number of civilian deaths rose to 50%.
During the Vietnam War, 70% of all casualties were civilians.
In the war in Iraq, civilians account for up to 90% of all deaths.
Sobering figures to say the least.
Speaking of participating in Remembrance Day activities, I had a concert yesterday and my choir, called Soldiers Cry. It was special as Roland Majeau came to sing his song with us, he brought his guitar and accompanied us while he sang the solo line. The song is rhythmically very challenging. As you’re sitting there listening, clap your hands softly to find the pulse of the music. Notice that all the lyrics start when your hands are apart. This piece of music has syncopation in spades, making it just a bear to learn.
The second challenge for me is not to think of the damn video while singing, because becoming emotional/getting misty does bad things to your vocal instrument. :/
I’ll apologize now for the disjointed nature of this post. Days like today do much to stir the emotional pot as they raise many conflicting feelings about how we treat the past, and which parts we choose to focus on. Our history contains a staggering amount of violence , every day could be like November 11th for all the people who have unjustly lost their lives during conflict.
I hope that on days like today people understand, even for just a short while. the importance of history and how the past makes our future. Understanding what we have done, and why, is vital in constructing a coherent view of the world.
I’m not sure how many people really get the horror of war and the terrible price we all pay being party to it, but if Remembrance Day awakens a twinge of empathy, a stirring of consideration, even a feeling of “I don’t want that”, then days like this should be considered to valuable and worth continuing.
Update: The concert went very well, we played to a full house and managed to get an encore out of the proceedings. :)
bleatmop
Mystro
The Arbourist
Dead Wild Roses 
5 comments
November 11, 2013 at 8:07 am
Remembrance Day | Christy's Houseful of Chaos
[…] is another good post about Remembrance Day over at Dead Wild Roses, pointing out that the percentage of civilian deaths has grown from making up about 10% of deaths […]
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November 11, 2013 at 9:30 am
syrbal-labrys
This day is always wrenching for me. Both my husband and I have families long in America and both have had someone under arms in every armed conflict. People think that those with such a history are always pro-war; but that is such a misunderstanding. I’ve been anti-war as long as I can remember and it is one reason I entered the military with a occupational specialty aimed at learning enough knowledge to (1) prevent war or, that failing (2) make it as short as possible. Oddly, I found fellow analysts had no comprehension of their jobs — some quit upon the very idea that their work was to render the enemy transparent and vulnerable to death. I always knew that if “the balloon went up” there would be blood on my hands and owned that responsibility with suitable graveness.
I can never sing on this day. Tonight I carry a stack of leather journals and a lantern out to my Labyrinth, it is the 10th anniversary of the first public opening of that Memorial to our most recent and horrifying unnecessary wars…and I will read the more than 8,200 names of those who died for public rhetoric and lies.
In my minds eye, every time I so read, behind every name of a military member is a spectral crowd of “collateral damage” that the warring nations seem to never really consider. And behind them, still more — the living forever scarred with loss and hatred, with grief and the shatterings of need.
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November 11, 2013 at 9:53 am
The Arbourist
@Syrbal
Thank you for sharing your experience of Remembrance Day Syrbal.
For those of us who are lucky enough to untouched by by the cold hand of war, your story helps us understand at least a small part of what you and others who are closer to war, are going through.
I am honoured that you would take the time to share your thoughts here on such a important personal topic. Thank you again, and I hope that you can find some solace and peace on such a troubling day.
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November 11, 2013 at 9:53 am
john zande
I was, and still am, left speechless by the last scene in Black Adder. To say i wasn’t expecting it would be an understatement of colossal proportions. Lest we forget them all.
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November 11, 2013 at 6:00 pm
bleatmop
Remember Remember the 11th of November
The Day We Said Never Again
But Then We Did It All Over Again
And Said It’s Ok, It’s Just This Once
But Then There Were The Others
They Must Be Stopped
We Must Fight Again
To Make Sure We Never Fight Again
But Then There Were More
Who Didn’t Know The Horror Of War
The Way That We Did
They Must Be Taught
So Remember Remember the 11th of Novemeber
The Day We Began The Never Ending War
Hallowed Must It Be
And Remain In Our Memories
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