Remembrance Day aka 11/11
Oct. 28th, 2011 11:55![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
redleafSo. People started wearing plastic odd looking poppies. Before I committed another faux pas, I was informed I needed to buy one.
Background knowledge: Remembrance day = Veteran's day that is actually observed by the whole population. So far so good, and I know in the back of my head that poppies have something to do with this observance. The poem that inspired the wearing of poppies was actually written by a Canadian - John McCrae. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McCrae) Here they wear poppies for the two weeks leading up to the 11th . . . but not beyond. I'm not sure why, but I definitely need to get a poppy. There is also a moment of silence on the actual day that I am going to make sure I actually observe.
Honestly, this seems much better then the half hearted attempt at Veterans Day in the states. Where you don't really get it off and there is no coordinated observance. It's weird, because the perception is that the Americans care more about their veterans . . . but we seem more fair weather supporters . . . we don't really talk about the war dead - we'd rather cheer them on then realize the consequences.
I don't know, this is rolling around in my head right now . . . it might settle into something different.
In the meantime, i'll be finding a poppy to wear - and I did! My friend just gave me one. :)
Background knowledge: Remembrance day = Veteran's day that is actually observed by the whole population. So far so good, and I know in the back of my head that poppies have something to do with this observance. The poem that inspired the wearing of poppies was actually written by a Canadian - John McCrae. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McCrae) Here they wear poppies for the two weeks leading up to the 11th . . . but not beyond. I'm not sure why, but I definitely need to get a poppy. There is also a moment of silence on the actual day that I am going to make sure I actually observe.
Honestly, this seems much better then the half hearted attempt at Veterans Day in the states. Where you don't really get it off and there is no coordinated observance. It's weird, because the perception is that the Americans care more about their veterans . . . but we seem more fair weather supporters . . . we don't really talk about the war dead - we'd rather cheer them on then realize the consequences.
I don't know, this is rolling around in my head right now . . . it might settle into something different.
In the meantime, i'll be finding a poppy to wear - and I did! My friend just gave me one. :)