It isn’t Anzac Day unless…there’s a number #1 countdown on MTV

Where are the Anzac Day greeting cards? It has to be one of the only holidays without accompanying cards. The imagery is all there, a few well chosen war quotes/poems, appropriate solemnness, they almost design themselves. We haven’t reached peak commercialisation until there are greeting cards.

I’m not sure this is the worst thing in the world. At least MTV are acknowledging the day and doing it in a way that reaches their target market. I think the word ‘bangers’ makes it look more offensive than is intended.

@Missed Opportunity – I know you’re joking but Anzac is a protected word under specific legislation. You really can’t use it for commercial products. In fact MTV are probably in breach for using it “in connection with any entertainment “. Actually. I might go and report them now.

Last Friday, a host of one of ABC 774 morning shows wished us a happy Anzac Day holiday. As an incomer to Australia this added to my confusion about what Anzac day is about.

David.

April 25 is ANZAC Day – every year. However, the public holiday is not uniform.

While it is a gazetted national holiday, the ‘public holiday’ varies state by state:
– If ANZAC Day falls on a weekday that is the day of the public holiday.
– If it falls on Saturday or Sunday it is a public holiday on the following Monday in the ACT and WA.
– If it falls on a Sunday it is a public holiday on the following Monday in NSW, Queensland, SA and the NT.
– There is no official public holiday for ANZAC Day if it falls on a weekend in Victoria and Tasmania.

The primary justification for the public holiday is to allow the public to attend the dawn services etc. that are held all around the country from the largest cities to the smallest country towns (which just about all have their own cenotaph or memorial).

It’s a bit like President’s Day (Washington’s Birthday) in the US held on the third Monday in February (except it can never fall on Washington’s actual birthday which was February 22), or the Queen’s Birthday in the UK where civil servants get a ‘privilege day’ on a Saturday in June even though she was born on April 21st.

My great grandfathers both fought in the great war. One came back, (saved believe it or not by his tobacco tin, in his chest pocket…). The other wasn’t so fortunate.

Both my grandfathers fought in the 2nd world war. Whilst my grandfather on my dad’s side was an engineer and spent most of his time servicing machinery in Western Africa, without bombings and combat. My grandfather on my mothers side spent his days in Submarines, often ‘lying doggo’ to avoid being blown to bits by enemy ships. His subsequent hatred of war and advocacy of peace was serious, adamant and very persuasive to anyone he spoke with. My grandfather, especially after experiencing war, became an atheist. He couldn’t understand if there was a God, why ‘God’ would allow such suffering and allow humans to kill each other on mass.

I attended an ANZAC dawn ceremony on Monday. I would say that the agenda was heavily focused on God and prayer (strange, I thought for a secular country?). There wasn’t much focus on the innocent victims and civilians of war. There was a list of sponsors reeled off during the ceremony. As well as the Australian National Anthem, ‘God Save The Queen’ was also belted out. Pomp and ceremony for sure. Substance and sincerity, I felt it lacked. Of course the serving and former serving soldiers were remembered. I am still trying to work out whether ‘war’ was being branded as bad, or glorified..? ‘Lest we forget’. I agree with this. We must never forget the atrocities of war.

Ceremony aside, the local RSL seamed far more occupied to make loads of money from selling beer and of course ensuring it’s pokies doors were open. Two up, is of course a great fun game and only once a year. The RSL’s casino is open morning, noon and night, everyday and the budget food prices in the bistro attract the community in to be able to afford to eat out and then blow their hard earned on the pokies.

My grandfather, in part would truly turn in his grave.

As MTV demonstrates, ANZAC day has too much celebration and not enough reflection in my opinion.