Today is Remembrance day, a day to remember all the soldiers that served in times of conflict and in peace.
I am proud to say that all of my grandparents served in the Second World War. I am also proud that I am part of a generation that is still lucky enough to know veterans of the Second World War (if not the First) on a first hand basis. The scale of war that my grandparents generation experienced will never be experienced again. Not because as a whole we have learned our lesson, but because of the advancement of weaponry. Now if someone really wanted a war could be decided in a matter of minutes, one nuke sent, one in return, if anyone survives they win.
I am grateful to any man or woman that enlisted. Thanks to you we all have freedom to be ourselves without persecution. But we still have a long way to go. Not just in other countries to promote equality and justice for all, but in our country too. Within ourselves we need to stop and find out what our individual prejudices are that stop us from treating everyone with the same respect and dignity. I'm not saying that everyone is a bad person because of that, but we all could be better.
So I leave you today with probably the most famous poem from WWI, "In Flanders Fields" by John McCrae
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.