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.

- John McCrae

I'm very proud of all of our brave soilders who fought to get us a long weekend. Very noble indeed.

What is so noble about killing?

Not killing, defending.

Good call Beb. There was nothing at all noble about giving your life to save the lives of others. There is nothing noble at all about risking your neck to prevent further death. There was nothing noble at all about trying to stop Hitler. Good call Beb.

I think it is one of the most noblest thing a person can do

I am very thankful for the sacrifices of very good men and women helped keep us reasonably free

I'm dissapointed. I was hoping that people would see the sarcasm in my post. Remembrance Day is a crock. If there is a remembrance day, it should serve as a reminder of how shitty war is, not serve to "honor" those who died for such a "great cause." I want to shove a poppy up someone's ass.

*bends over* :D

Sometimes war is enevitable. Sometimes you have to go to war for a reason, not like today when its all for oil or family feuds

Another good call on Nebula's behalf.

noble; Having or showing qualities of high moral character, such as courage, generosity, or honor: a noble spirit


Of course, it is not courageous at all to give your life to save the lives of others. It is not courageous at all to risk your neck to prevent further death. Hell, we should have just layed down and let the Nazis take over!

Nebula, they risked/gave their lives at the ages of 17-25. You have to stand for two minutes of silence on one day of the year and you whine about it?

And by the way, the point of Remembrance day is to remind us of how shitty war is. I don't know if you payed attention to any of the Remembrance Day speechs or presentations any year of your life, but the entire point is to show young Canadians how terrible and futile war is.

Yeah. Does remembrance day include all the non-U.S. military who lost their lives through the course of armed conflict? What about the German foot soldiers who fought under the Nazi banner? Or the Japanese? Do they deserve our thoughtful remembrance? What about all the civilians who lost their lives through the course of armed conflict?

And destroying Hitler's reich was necessity... not nobility.

*ahem* What about the young Brits??? Rememberance Sunday just passed here

People enlisted as young as 14 during both World Wars (just thought I'd add that)

You have to stand for two minutes of silence on one day of the year and you whine about it?
Hell, I think about it alot. It amazes me that people would lay down their lives for complete strangers. It fills me with a strange emotion. He makes me see that humanity isn't as twisted as I once thought it to be.
Nebula, why are you being so ungrateful?? huh huh, got something to hide or don't you care at all??

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.
This part always makes me wonder. Does that mean they want revenge, that instead, we should be killing Nazis right now? :bugeye: They urge us to continue the war...otherwise they will...haunt us from their graves? ("we shall not sleep") :eek:

Perhaps there should be 2 parts to Rememberance Day? The morning will be mainly for mourning, and honouring those who died. Then the afternoon shall be celebration, to appreciate our newfound peace begotten from death and war?
I say this because my Russian friend told me that on Remembrance Day, they "party" instead of mourn. I found it a bit unsettling, but an interesting idea. :)

"Yeah. Does remembrance day include all the non-U.S. military who lost their lives through the course of armed conflict? What about the German foot soldiers who fought under the Nazi banner? Or the Japanese? Do they deserve our thoughtful remembrance? What about all the civilians who lost their lives through the course of armed conflict?"

Actually, this is a Canadian Remembrance Day. Most nations who participated on the Ally side have a similar day. I myself would have no problem what so ever in Germany or Japan honouring the men who fought on their side (minus the highest ranking ones who made some inhumain decisions). Unfortunatly, as was evident in a thread earlier this year on sciforums, many of our American friends are not so cool with this idea.


"This part always makes me wonder. Does that mean they want revenge, that instead, we should be killing Nazis right now? They urge us to continue the war...otherwise they will...haunt us from their graves? ("we shall not sleep")"

McCrae wrote it when the war wasn't over. He wanted people to keep fighting until the war is over. Or; until the wrongs are right.