…if the Normandy Invasion means about as much to me, emotionally, as the Battle of Agincourt? Whoever wrote the Henry V speech would have me believe that was a really big deal but I don’t care about it. There was never a bigger or more pointless folly than the Hundred Years’ War.
I’m sufficiently aware of Nazis to accept that Normandy was probably more important to the world in general and to me personally. But all I really care about is that it happened ten years before I was born and nobody I knew was in it.
It’s probably dumb to say that out loud, but I haven’t had my coffee yet and so I blurt.
It probably means more to me because my father was in it at least on day two or three. It was five years before I was born but I think from what other relatives said his walk across Europe had major impact on how the atitudes in the rest of his life went.
Joel, my guess is that it actually means more to you than you care to acknowledge. You just hate being pressured to mark “outside” events, whether they be happy holidays or sad commemorations. Also a guess: you resist even more when people expect you to rotely and routinely commemorate government-driven death or heroism.
That’s my guess, anyhow. And it’s based on both knowing you and knowing me.
That is one of the most sensible things I have heard said about it. It is very hard to say anything sensible these days because almost every sensible things is racist, homophobic, too-patriotic, or not patriotic enough.
no matter what the outcome in Europe was back then, both Communism and Fascism would have run their course by now. Hitler and all his pals would have died long ago even if they had all died of old age or pancreatic cancer.
Well, as for Normandy I’m wondering if there is a comparable set off cliffs to dash soldiers and sailors against in South America. It seems if you want to go to college in Brazil and are a Jew you are required to register as Such. History seems to be trying to rhyme there. I often wonder if they just need to change the platitude from “Never again” to “not right now”.
Opinions are for everyone, as is tolerance. You don’t seem to abuse the human privileges… Rock on.