Sorry. I believe in the "old" values, respect what thousands of soldiers have done for us. But Anzac Day is now just a habit, insulted by what this country has become.

WTF?

Why do old farts assume what "values" my forebears had when they signed up for active duty?

Why are these perceived "values" so often claimed by far right leaning weirdos?

Family members of mine who were in active service would have given many who post on OLO a "serve".

They served to fight for the values that so many on the right see as abhorrent.

Old farts are free to voice their own opinion but they are not entitled to the opinion of those who served and do not speak for them.

Sorry mate, patriotism is what got Australia into the mess where a celebration of the chaotic disaster Gallipoli was under British leadership.
It also reminds us of the need for this country to “ go it alone” as a preference to kowtowing to foreign interests.
But alas, we now have a Nation owned and controlled by fearful sycophants wanting at this moment, to vote for them to continue the sell out, so entrenched in their DNA.

Don’t volunteer and don’t vote!

Children of one family were taken away from their homes against their will and coerced to try and kill, like gladiators, children from another family who were similarly taken away and ordered to try and kill them.

What a shame!

«Patriotism... is the emotional glue that binds a nation together.»

Enjoyed gluing together the wings of butterflies in your childhood?

Patriotism is a mental disorder!

«Young men and women risked everything not for personal gain, but because they believed in the country they served.»

A few did, yet most who were there risked everything only because they were left with no other choice but court-martial and a lengthy prison sentence, if not worse, if they failed to obey their orders.

«The freedoms we enjoy were not granted by fate. They were earned by courage, sacrifice, and the patriotism of ordinary people who believed this nation mattered.»

Our freedoms are natural, God-given and not granted by any men.
Many of which, however, were robbed away by this "nation" thing.
Do we need to say "thank you" for leaving us with some and not taking away even more freedoms as other "nations" do?

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Dear Steven (the author),

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Gallipoli during the First World War was a terrible tragedy in which 28,000 of our valiant diggers and 27,169 French soldiers were needlessly killed or wounded because of the incompetence and stupidity of their British commanders, including Churchill and General Sir Ian Hamilton. The British themselves recorded 120,246 killed or wounded.

The Gallipoli campaign was a foolish mistake, a total disaster and a useless sacrifice that served no purpose whatsoever – sending wave after wave of brave young men senselessly to their death !

The Somme in the north of France was a similar tragedy. It was one of the largest battles of the First World War, in which more than a million soldiers were wounded or killed, making it one of the bloodiest battles in human history. Over a period of 42 days, our Aussie “diggers” made 19 attacks, 16 of them at night. We had 23,000 casualties, including 6,800 deaths.

The population of Australia at the time was 4.9 million. Of the 340,000 Australians who participated in the war effort, we had a total of 213,000 casualties, including 54,000 deaths, 155,000 wounded and 4,000 taken prisoner.

All this is what we commemorate on 25 April each year, and call ANZAC day. It is not a day of celebration. It is a day of mourning.

Sure, we should defend our country and help defend our allies, but the least we could expect in return is reciprocity and competent military commanders.

That has not always been the case in the wars we have been engaged in to date.

It is something to be remembered.

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I think ANZAC Day is important to remember the folly of war, and all who perished in the pursuit of nothing. Something like 130,000 men died during the Gallipoli campaign of 1915, for absolutely no reason. ALL wars are meaningless, and show the stupidly of mankind.