When was the last time a Western athlete was banned because their country started a war?
One of the unspoken rules of human affairs is that ordinary citizens should never be personally harassed for the political actions of their leaders. That truism has never been properly observed enough, and went completely out of the window when Russia began its military operation in Ukraine.
This week, Serbian tennis sensation Novak Djokovic delivered a powerful rebuke to Wimbledon’s decision to bar the participation of Russian players from the famous grass tournament.
Read more: Bans on Russian athletes are ripping out a huge piece of the sporting world
25 April is a very important day for Australians and New Zealanders. It is called ANZAC Day.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning.
Lest we forget
The Last Post would be familiar to all Australians and New Zealanders from an early age. It is played at every ANZAC Day ceremony by a bugler in an army uniform and frequently at funerals of soldiers and veterans.
Does the average civilian attendee understand the significance of this quasi-musical interlude? Is it an entertainment piece that everyone expects to hear because it is always part of the programme like the hymn “Oh God our Help in Ages Past”?
The Last Post is one of the most ancient tools used by modern British founded armies and has its roots in the days of the Roman Empire when horns were used to play the hymn of the Goddess Diana and as signals to command troops on the battlefield. Even to this day, the French term for what we call e reveille is La Diana.
A Polish friend of mine in Vegas, Paul P., was hosting his sister-in-law from back home. Mariola is quite cultured, beautiful, speaks nearly perfect English, and is very politically savvy – – – she was the protoge’ of economics professor Leszek Balcerowicz who became Poland’s first post-communist finance minister.
On the way back from Los Angeles, they passed a highwayman, ah, that is, a Highway Patrol officer, along the side of the road rummaging through a motorist’s open trunk.
This message is for all freedom-loving patriots in western society but more specifically I wish to speak directly to my Aussie and Kiwi mates today… Most Australians and New Zealanders are very aware of the significance of ANZAC Day…
For those of you who are unfamiliar with ANZAC Day…it’s a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that commemorates all those Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in all wars.
It is observed on 25th April each year. Originally ANZAC Day was to honor the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) forces who, in WWI, landed at Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance.
Read more: ANZAC Day - God Bless all democracy-loving Aussies and Kiwis. Stay strong. Be relentless.
When we stand at Dawn on the morning of 25 April I wonder: are we saluting our fallen heroes or are we saluting our fallen unity?
I will stand, and salute the men that fought and died so that I could stand and weep that, after over 100 years we FORGOT. Forgot the value of FREEDOM..
Read more: I remember when... I went to my first Dawn Service
When I think of ANZAC Day I think of my late Great Granpa.
Is this our modern Gallipoli moment?
Read more: When are our nations getting some balls? From our new generation.
It has been truly said that Australia arrived in Gallipoli as six separate States and returned as a Nation with its own national identity. In achieving this, of the over 50,000 Australians who served at Gallipoli during a period of 260 days, there were 8,159 deaths in total, comprised of 5,482 killed in action, 2,012 deaths from wounds, and 665 deaths from disease.
To the armchair Revisionists, these are merely numbers and not men who gave their lives for their country and are buried in a far-off land.
Of all the legends and stories about ANZAC the most enduring one is that of Simpson and his donkey.
I clearly remember being told this story as a very young child when I was in grade 2 in 1941. In those days we were repeatedly told stories about the “last” war; last meaning previous, not end or final.
Read more: Simpson and his donkey - a tale of bravery at Gallipoli
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