Is it just me or was anyone else feeling a little queasy at the commemorations of the events of a hundred years ago? The television screens were full of politicians and it became all about them – how terribly sombre they looked as they pontificated about remembrance of the sacrifice of a generation lost as it was about to flower. Politicians – the parasites that feed voraciously on the product of others’ labour. Politicians – the very people who send that youth to war even now – who have failed to learn from that sacrifice.
Hang them. Hang them all.
I felt the same, WW1 was about a failure of politics and politicians. Lions led by donkeys caused by power hungry ministers and statesmen.
I felt a little queasy too. An occasion which demanded dignity but the politicians don’t have it.
“Look at ME” I’m sadder than he is!”
I’m surprised the bastards didn’t get some garage flowers, teddy bears and cans of Stella for the railings.
I’d like to think that most thoughtful people who lost relatives during the wars think about them not just on the days of commemoration.
And what in God’s name was Warsi doing there? Why not get Abu Hamza while you’re at it?
I particularly liked the precision of the service at Westminster Abbey when the last candle was snuffed out on the stroke of 11pm. Shame it was 3 minutes past… 😳
I’m so glad other people feel the same way as I do about all these artificial “commemorations,” attended by the Great and the Good, all vying with each other to try and show how “compassionate” and “respectful” they all are, when the truth is they are neither by a long shot, and don’t have the faintest idea how to be. Given the same or similar set of circumstances, they’d march all of our children and grandchildren off to be cannon-fodder in a heartbeat (yes, Blair – I’m looking at you), just so long as they could dream up some way that their own precious little diddums could be “excused.”
Just for the record, Frank D did a wonderful write-up of how much better the world would (still) be if the venal power-crazed politicians and military bigwigs of the time had had the ability to restrain themselves. It’s definitely worth a look. I’d link to it here if I only knew how (techno-dinosaur, I’m afraid!), but if anyone wants to take a peek, (as of now) it’s the second-newest post, entitled “4th of August 1914.” (Sorry, LR – hope you don’t mind my publicising another blogger on here!)
definitely not just you.
Actually peter hitchens has a good take on this whole thing. He asks the question many have over the years, why did we get involved at all. You might not agree but go and have a look (his mail on Sunday blog).
Its particularly apt given the almost pathological desire of these hopeless nomarks to get us involved in what could even turn into a war with Russia.
I agree it is nauseating, however as I have a son serving for me it is not about the politicians, it about remembering the tragic loss of almost an entire generation of young men, needlessly.
Our politicians are still too intent on getting involved in wars that are none of our concern, my son went to Afghan twice, he should never have gone once, let alone twice.
America are intent on starting a war with Russia and dragging us into it, and our politicians are running after the muslim Obama following like sheep with their tongues hanging out and listening to his every word like he was some sort of messiah, purely to look ethnically correct and so as not to be accused of racism.
For years these idiots and a succession of morons have backed Israel against Palestine and Hamas yet suddenly Israel are the bad guys and everyone wants sanctions. If it looks like an attempt to start a war and smells like an attempt to start a war it probably is an attempt to start a war.
Obama has many character traits, including being a trained lawyer, poor political strategy skills, belief in a sky-fairy, a voice that sounds like a low-bitrate MP3 file, and being just charismatic enough to be elected, without being quite as moronic as his knuckle-dragging predecessor. None of which commend him to me.
Being a muslim, however, isn’t one of them. He’s a devout Christian. Not that that’s much of an improvement as electing an adult who still believes in invisible friends into a position of power has rarely ended well for the USA—or, indeed, many other countries.
I could imagine camoron, hollande and merkin plotting war at one of these “commemorations”.
Or would that be too cynical?
I am at least as upset by the brazen way the British fashion industry is using the opportunity to promote itself via the endless photo-ops involving Kate Middleton.