Happy Poppy day??? - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

pylon · 11-11-2009, 01:44 PM

You know over the last week I have heard quite a few people make this reference. "I hope you have a Happy Poppy day, or have a Happy Remembrance day." Is it just me, or has someone who has made this statement truly ignorant to the actual meaning of the holiday. I can understand with goofball dorkstick fantasy based holidays like Easter and Halloween and Christmas which have been diluted into marketing machines for kids, but I find it almost tasteless to refer to remembrance day as "Happy Poppy Day!!". Has the meaning of Nov 11th already been diluted into a free day off for most people already? One guy I work with was actually ignorant enough to say he will honor the vets by playing "Call of Duty" today.

/rant

HOOT · 11-11-2009, 01:52 PM

The tool who did the OOT today used that reference.

Rerun · 11-11-2009, 03:01 PM

I agree..... Way too many ignorant idiots walking around. They have absolutely no idea too.

On a side point, last Sunday, since Remembrance Day was just around the corner, I decide to re-watch my dvd copy of "Saving Private Ryan". Every time I watch it, it brings tears to my eyes. .... a great film that truly illustrates the horror, brutality, and indiscriminate nature of war.

Frankly, I think all kids should have to watch that film, to learn about the sacrifice that our soldiers have made.

Methanolic · 11-11-2009, 03:05 PM

No, It's not just you. The person that made that statement Is truly ignorant to the actual meaning of the Day.

Not to grind gears, but can you actually refer to 11/11 as a "Holiday"?

Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Heritage Day, can be lumped together as holidays. I think Nov. 11 is simply Remembrance day.

Methanolic · 11-11-2009, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rerun

I agree..... Way too many ignorant idiots walking around. They have absolutely no idea too.

On a side point, last Sunday, since Remembrance Day was just around the corner, I decide to re-watch my dvd copy of "Saving Private Ryan". Every time I watch it, it brings tears to my eyes. .... a great film that truly illustrates the horror, brutality, and indiscriminate nature of war.

Frankly, I think all kids should have to watch that film, to learn about the sacrifice that our soldiers have made.

Very powerful film for sure. I believe I've heard that most Vets from that era have said it is the most realistic film of that genre, comes closer to showing what it was really like better than any other war movie.

Redliner · 11-11-2009, 03:25 PM

Remembrance Day has always had a certain reverence to it that sets it apart from other "holidays". I remember one year when I was young and stupid (but still should have known better) I went skiing on Remembrance Day. It felt weird the whole time; like I should have been in church or something instead.

I make sure that my kids attend a Remembrance Day ceremony every year even if they do have the day off school. I want them to understand what this day is for and what it represents, and to make sure they grow up knowing what a steep and terrible price has been paid for their freedom.

Rerun · 11-11-2009, 03:34 PM

Its a shame that it isn't a statutory "holiday" in Ontario and Quebec. Not because people deserve the day off to do what ever... but because of what Redliner said. Its important to "remember".... and sometime remembering means attending memorial ceremonies to honor those who fought for our freedom.

P.S. My father and all my uncles fought for our freedom during WWII. Luckily everyone came home alive.

4X4 · 11-11-2009, 03:41 PM

Speaking of reverence on Remembrance Day, I found it a bit odd that some of the radio stations didn't do the moment of silence. I suppose I could have missed them, but out of curiousity (as I sat in a drive thru line up) I started flipping through all my preset stations from about 1059 to 1101. 92.9 didn't do it and neither did another station that for some reason I can't remember now. QR did it (of course) and so did Jack.

flip · 11-11-2009, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4X4

Speaking of reverence on Remembrance Day, I found it a bit odd that some of the radio stations didn't do the moment of silence. I suppose I could have missed them, but out of curiousity (as I sat in a drive thru line up) I started flipping through all my preset stations from about 1059 to 1101. 92.9 didn't do it and neither did another station that for some reason I can't remember now. QR did it (of course) and so did Jack.

.

You obviously don't have any reverence for Remembrance Day if you were in a drive-thru line up during the moment of silence.

4X4 · 11-11-2009, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flip

.

You obviously don't have any reverence for Remembrance Day if you were in a drive-thru line up during the moment of silence.

Obviously not. I'm one of those irreverent basterds that's working on Remembrance Day. Got my poppy tho!

valo403 · 11-11-2009, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4X4

Speaking of reverence on Remembrance Day, I found it a bit odd that some of the radio stations didn't do the moment of silence. I suppose I could have missed them, but out of curiousity (as I sat in a drive thru line up) I started flipping through all my preset stations from about 1059 to 1101. 92.9 didn't do it and neither did another station that for some reason I can't remember now. QR did it (of course) and so did Jack.

I was driving across Michigan and threw on CBC Radio One on the satellite radio hoping to hear the Ottawa ceremony and instead found a news report with the ceremony heard in the background and a few minutes later another news blip with a few notes of taps. Pretty disappointing actually.

valo403 · 11-11-2009, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flip

.

You obviously don't have any reverence for Remembrance Day if you were in a drive-thru line up during the moment of silence.

Some people have these things called JOBS

flip · 11-11-2009, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redliner

Remembrance Day has always had a certain reverence to it that sets it apart from other "holidays". I remember one year when I was young and stupid (but still should have known better) I went skiing on Remembrance Day. It felt weird the whole time; like I should have been in church or something instead.

I make sure that my kids attend a Remembrance Day ceremony every year even if they do have the day off school. I want them to understand what this day is for and what it represents, and to make sure they grow up knowing what a steep and terrible price has been paid for their freedom.

Really? I might get drunk today is that stupid? I think it is great to attend ceremonies and such but I don't and I don't feel bad. To each his own I guess, you obviously take this day very seriously but I hope you aren't one of those nutcases that thinks putting my poppy on my car visor or hat or wearing leaving it on my coat for 1 minute past 1159pm of this evening to be disrespectful.

Obviously you have your own set of values but I don't believe that Remembrance Day is in and of itself a more important day than any other. I find June 6th or August 19th (Dieppe) or April 9th (Vimy Ridge) to be more appropriate days to show my respects.

I don't think anything that anyone does on Remembrance Day is stupid or wrong. Well except maybe peeing on a war memorial or something but generally I think pretty much anything goes.

I also think it is interesting that you mentioned church because I'm curious how many people, who believe in God/Jesus, have no problem opening presents, stuffing themselves with turkey and hunting for chocolate eggs on the days that Jesus was born/killed/resurrected.

Byrns · 11-11-2009, 06:32 PM

Christmas is Jesus' birthday. You don't open presents on your birthday? Tsk. Tsk.

Devils'Advocate · 11-11-2009, 06:58 PM

(a) Collins defines holiday as "a day on which work is suspended by law or custom". Which fits. I think "a day free from work that one may spend at leisure" from American Heritage does not. So before attacking someone for their use of that word, you have to go through their home to find which dictionary they own. If they own AH, you can slap 'em silly. If they own Collins, congratulate them on the correct use of the word.

(b) I've posted here before about my experiences with the Canadian War Museum here in Ottawa, and if you have a chance, definitely go. Many veterans, including some on their last legs, volunteer there to tell their stories. I said it in other threads, I don't know how they do it sometimes.... spending their last days re-living the worst ones of their lives. But it is eye opening to hear first hand from someone who was actually there. You can hear the emotion and feelings that they had.

(c) While Remembrance Day is not statutory in Ontario, many companies CHOOSE to open at 12:30. I tried going to Walmart at 8 this morning and while they had a sign out front that said "OPEN 7 TO MIDNIGHT EVERY DAY BETWEEN NOV. 6 AND DEC. 23", I guess they forgot today when they made the sign as I was shoo-ed off. A cleaner came to the door and told the three of us outside that they decided to open only at 12:30 so people could go to the ceremonies.

(d) Interestingly, a fair number of people said that they were NOT going to go downtown this year even though they usually do because they feared the crowds. I only went once, and you couldn't get close enough to hear anything.... you actually appreciate it more on television. So with Prince Charles speaking as colonel-in-chief of several Canadian regiments, there was a somewhat added interest. While I'm not much for the royal family AT ALL, I am glad that he acknowledged that while this is a day to remember past veterans and their sacrifices, but to also remember those currently fighting in Afghanistan.

pylon · 11-11-2009, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Methanolic

No, It's not just you. The person that made that statement Is truly ignorant to the actual meaning of the Day.

Not to grind gears, but can you actually refer to 11/11 as a "Holiday"?

Excellent point. I think I use the term "holiday' loosely in terms of day off. Trust me, I am not ignorant to the meaning and importance of Nov 11th. My great grandfather was a WWI vet in the Polish cavalry, and my grandfather served in WWII for the Canadian army. Even at the federal level and internationally it is classified as a "holiday" but not in the true essence of the word I am sure.

Personally, I had to work today, and if I could trade any one day of the year to take off for today, I would. We take a day to celebrate a mythical chocolate delivering bunny, a magical fat man that travels faster than light to deliver gifts to only the worlds most priveledged kids (usually leaving out those truly in need) yet we as a society (MOST people) do not give the men and women that gave their lives to preserve our freedom and way of life a second thought out side of what is forced on them. I asked around work today, and it is amazing how few people have actually attended a real ceremony outside of school, or one that even knows what a cenotaph is. Very sad indeed. Wearing a Poppy IMHO albeit is a nice touch, it truly does not cut it.

If you ever get a chance one day to sit with a WW2 veteran, and talk, and listen to the stories, and see the emotion that still wells up in these men over 60 years after the war, you will have a better understanding of why these people are so incredibly special. We owe every thing we see around us to them. It is scary to think what the world may have been had the Allies not won the war. Likely it would be a very dystopian extistence we all would be living.

Redliner · 11-11-2009, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flip

I also think it is interesting that you mentioned church because I'm curious how many people, who believe in God/Jesus, have no problem opening presents, stuffing themselves with turkey and hunting for chocolate eggs on the days that Jesus was born/killed/resurrected.

Here we go again. Fire up the flamethrowers, Martha. Someone just mentioned religion.