Thursday was Remembrance Day marked to remember the end of World War 1. It is traditional in my country to wear a Red Poppy and as a mark of respect to observe a minutes silence at 11 am. I have attended the funerals of many relatives of mine who have served our country and have placed red poppies on their coffins or in their graves. It was great to see the number of young people this week wearing poppies, pinned on suits and t-shirts, dresses and blouses. That for me is a wonderful sign for our future.
In my home town of Melbourne the Shrine of Remembrance was designed so that at precisely the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month a sunbeam would shine through the roof of the cenotaph and illuminate a memorial in the base of the building. When daylight saving was introduced a mirror was set up to intercept the beam and ensure that it still passed at the correct time.
This week we got the news that Vicroads, our vehicle registration, licensing and road construction and maintenance authority had decided that they would no longer observe the minutes silence. In fact what they said was –
“VicRoads have not observed a minute’s silence for a number of years as they are conscious of possible different cultural issues and don’t wish to cause offence.”
And in saying that, they have offended my culture and those of any person who believes that we should remember the sacrifices made and the fact that the end of wars is far more important to remember than the start of them. This is Political Correctness gone mad once again. The idiot that thought this was a good idea ought to be sacked. The goose who wrote the press release ought to go back to school and learn a bit more about the difference between being culturally sensitive and understanding the reason for marking a day like this goes way beyond any cultural differences any of us may have.
