Yes, I can now see that wasn't clear enough. My bad. I'll try again on that one point (US anthem "hijack"). Most customs start organically and are by and for the people. For example, a lovely sporting custom at pro baseball games is the Seventh Inning Stretch. I don't believe that was originally an organised activity, but one that developed and has been absorbed into the ritual of attending a baseball game. The singing of the US national anthem before domestic sporting events is not like that. It is fairly recent and was introduced by the franchise owners. The stadium crowds didn't start singing it spontaneously and don't (in my experience, although I haven't been to the US since 2014) sing it at all, although many silently mouth the words in time with the singer. My understanding is most Americans see it as a celebration of the American people and their country - so they don't have a problem with it being sung by one person over the PA and standing up for it. It's a celebration of them. It's not a celebration of the military, and it's often not sung by a person in uniform. When Colin Kaepernick "took a knee" he was not being disrespectful to the USA, the fallen US military or anything else. He was making an unusual response to that part of the proceedings to get attention - to say "Now that I've got your attention, can we talk about the unusually high death count of black people killed by white policemen?". The "hijack" was by those who don't want to have that conversation and who don't want to publicly acknowledge that there might be a problem here. If it goes undiscussed, then we'll never know (either way), will we? So, Kaepernick was vilified by those who don't want the conversation to take place and they framed the narrative as "He's being disrespectful to our fallen troops, the unpatriotic, ungrateful SOB". There was a media response, but the Fox News of this world made it about Kaepernick, and he is now unemployed as a result. Others who support Kaepernick in his desire to have the discussion then started "taking the knee" to highlight their support for him, his campaign and the way he has been treated. The media response was the same. So, now when you stand for the anthem at a US sporting event, inside your own head you may not be doing anything other than celebrating America and the American people, but your action is now portrayed by the US media as supporting our troops - unlike that SOB Kaepernick and all his overpaid athletics-degree friends. That's what I mean by a "hijack" of the peoples action (as Americans who love their country) to be used as support for the establishments position (as people who don't want anyone to criticise or examine any perceived injustice). The people who don't want anyone to support Kaepernick have hijacked standing for the national anthem, so you cannot support Kaepernick without being painted as someone you are not - someone who does not respect fallen US soldiers. That turns patriotism into an uncritical action. "Do what looks patriotic and shut the f**k up - we'll tell you what we want it to mean" I believe true patriots will be critical in their desire to make their country a better place and a great country will welcome it.
I heard the seventh inning stretch started when a president attending a game needed a pee so they delayed the 8th innings so he could get back in time
I’m not usually one to be fussy about threads straying off topic, and I myself have been guilty of doing it on this thread, but if we’ve had enough stereotyping and Yank bashing (take it back to the politics thread) can we keep this one to Remembrance? On this day 100 years ago the Canadian Army was involved in a push in the second battle of Passchendaele, it got nowhere but they were able to hold on for reinforcements. 2,481 casualties. I haven’t been able to find out how many German casualties there were. Two days later the Canadians did manage to advance, at the cost of another 2,321 casualties. They made 600 yards. Respect, to people who sacrificed their lives and futures for uncritical patriotism, and comradeship, despite the futility.
Poppy day is something I am very passionate about. The reason we can all go about our lives as we do today is due to the selfless sacrifice of those who paid the ultimate price in the service of their countries. I cannot put into words the respect I have for each and every one of them.
I am not a badge of honour, I am not a racist smear, I am not a fashion statement, To be worn but once a year, I am not glorification Of conflict or of war. I am not a paper ornament A token, I am more. I am a loving memory, Of a father or a son, A permanent reminder Of each and every one. I'm paper or enamel I'm old or shining new, I'm a way of saying thank you, To every one of you. I am a simple poppy A Reminder to you all, That courage faith and honour, Will stand where heroes fall. SAYS IT ALL REALLY.
Just read on the BBC that the home nations have requested to wear poppies on their shirts during the up coming internationals. Let's see what the response is. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41802697
In Flanders fields the poppies grow Between the crosses, row on row... I won't put it all on here as it is elsewhere on this forum. For many years I didn't wear the poppy as I felt it glorified war and that wasn't what I wanted to do. But one of my hobbies is choral singing and I had the opportunity to sing at a Remembrance Day service and did some thinking about that. Then my son enlisted in the army and is now a captain. I will wear a poppy now. I still don't want to glorify war but I no longer believe that poppies do.
Maple, I have a saying ............ "There is nothing glorious about war with the exception of those who serve us."
Today is the anniversary of the final push from the Canadians at Passchendaele, when the village was finally captured, a total advance of 5 miles from July to November 2017. The total number of casualties is not clear, as many simply disappeared in the mud or were simply atomised in explosions, but probably around 700,000.
