Friday, November 11, 2016

Poppy Day: 2016.

Vinodog 2 and I are wearing our poppies today in remembrance of all the men and women who fought fearlessly, and sacrificed much in countless wars and conflicts, to safeguard our freedom and liberty. Brave beyond modern day comprehension, the veterans of both World Wars deserve to have their sacrifices commemorated.  But let us not forget those who are currently serving in the armed forces: cheers to them.
Remember, freedom isn't free.

11 comments:

Thomas said...

Welcome home VG--at least Home II.

Re, Veterans Day: my wife and I created a theatrical reading from our latest book about her father's WWII work on the Army newspaper in London, Normandy and Belgium, and his work on Eisenhower's information staff.

We recently gave a performance at the VA hospital nearby, which happens to be the oldest in the U.S. (formed during the American Civil War). Only a handful of WWII vets remain in the hospital; the majority are Vietnam War Vets and the Iraq ones are slowly entering the place. The reception for the reading was overwhelmingly touching.

I am a veteran of the Vietnam era but I never wanted to use the VA system for anything. After the reading, and after having met the people at that hospital, I signed up for VA medical care and I will be volunteering services as soon as we can figure out what they need that I can meet.

While I know its price freedom is not the result of government largesse; it is the result of the human capacity to love, which often comes up quite short. The latest round of political shifts across all of Europe and in the U.S. are so much like what happened during the run up to WWII and so much a rehash of our incapacity to live together in a spirit of love. We are our worst enemies.

New Hampshire Wineman said...

Thomas: Thank you!

VG: As usual, V2 remembers well!

Thud said...

Lest we forget.

Vinogirl said...

Tomasso: The theatrical interpretation of your last book sounds interesting.

The wearing of a poppy isn't political (despite efforts by organisations like FIFA to try to make it so): people of all political persuasions died for freedom.

I don't think you can compare today's world with that of the 1930s, it's a very, very different one.

NHW: She mainly remembers meal times!!!!!

Thud: It is very important to remember.

New Hampshire Wineman said...

VG: V2 is a sort of procurator, Hey, nothing wrong with breakfast (11 breakfastes), or lunch, supper, and various snack times!

Thomas said...

VG: You know the Santanyana quote from 1905: Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

The rise of right wing demagogues, tension between Russia and the West, and the branding of "others" as the source of all woes almost identifies the 1930s. It's fitting to note that not only do we have those same conditions today, the political rhetorc is nearly identical to the '30s.

In any case, with the election and a few deaths these past two weeks, I have been under a down feeling. This is a wine blog--I shouldn't bother you with this stuff.

Vinogirl said...

NHE: Only 11?!!!!!

Tomasso: I respectfully disagree; with social nannyism, the institutional infantilization of young adults and the rise of Islam the world is a very different place than it was in the 1930s. The like of 'The Greatest Generation' will never be seen again.

I am sorry for your losses.

Thomas said...

VG: You have missed my point. It is the reaction to events in the world that is similar to the '30s. But let's not go down this path any further. Some things just can't be discussed at a distance.

Vinogirl said...

Tomasso: So, when are you visiting?

Thomas said...

I was on the West Coast last month. The Pacific Northwest, in the San Juan Islands. You should have taken a trip up!

Vinogirl said...

Tomasso: You came west, I went east...I was probably in England.