Opinion

Anzac ugliness

Hunter pubs, we read in The Herald yesterday, are abandoning the traditional Anzac Day two-up game, and who can blame them! Of course the unprecedented drunkenness and violence of Australia Day this year is an issue, but the fact is that Anzac Day has been developing its own ugliness for a decade or so.

Young men have come to see Anzac Day as celebrating their own courage and mateship, and drunkenness on that day is their badge of courage. The Government's legislating to protect the Anzac Day two-up game seemed to lend a new credibility to their belief that they are heroes, or heroes in waiting.

We have two national binge festivals, Australia Day and Anzac Day, that so many young fellows see as their days of entitlement, and on both days they parade clutching stubbies and draped in the Australian flag and bravado to prove their patriotism and courage. The result is not pretty.

In my column in The Herald today I suggest that this relatively new national swagger may spring from the fact that these young men are of a generation that has no claim to battlefield glory. Their great grandfathers had World War I, their grandfathers World War II, their fathers the Vietnam war, and these young men have nothing but their own booze-fuelled embracing of the great Australian myth of Anzac courage and mateship.

It is unlikely that young men's seizing of Anzac Day a decade ago as a day celebrating yobbo drunkenness was mere coincidence. There must be a social explanation, a new national need or attitude among young men. Australia Day became a public binge at much the same time. Can you tell us what's changed?

Posted By: Jeff Corbett on 19/04/2010 5:52:00 PM | Comments (98)

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I have a friend who considers Anzac Day her favourite holiday. Having spent a couple with her I am stunned at how this young, educated and usually well mannered woman changes on this day. She literally becomes a bogan. I am only in my early 30's and I was brought up to respect Anzac Day and remember those who died, not annihilate myself and fight over a $5 bet. I just don't understand how this day became a day like this, one that lacks respect.

Posted by idontgetiteither, 20/04/2010 10:07:39 AM, on The Herald

Yes, if the new Anzac Day is marked by one thing it is a lack of respect!

Posted by Jeff Corbett on 20/04/2010 10:13:35 AM

The word you used "Entitled" somes it up. As for not having a war to fight, we are in two countries at the moment, I am sure if they wanted to join the army they could get a start in either. In saying all that when i attend dawn services there are plenty of young people there. Getting drunk on ANZAC day is not new, what is new is the lack of respect of others, Police and even the publican, yes they are the Entitled generation, but who gave it all to them without boundries or responsibility?

Posted by Buell/hypocite, 20/04/2010 10:11:27 AM, on The Herald

Hello Buell. Hopefully our presence in those two countries never becomes what we in Australia would see as a war. There has indeed always been drunkenness on Anzac Day, although previously that was confined to the wars' participants. The difference now, as you say, is an absence of respect. Err, I'm pleased to see you in a happier frame of mind!

Posted by Jeff Corbett on 20/04/2010 10:17:17 AM

Jeff, you have probably hit the nail on the head, as the younger generation have by and large seized the day, taken it as their own so to speak. Anzac Day had for me been a day when my dad could go down to the club early, get wasted on the Rum and then come back home and fall asleep after losing his false teeth along the way. It was always very funny. He was ex British Navy and saw service in the Atlantic...the evacuation at Dunkirk etc; it was his day along with my uncle who was also ex British Navy, not mine. I started to celebrate it later after he and the uncle had passed away. I would hoist a few Rums and call it a day. It should be a day of sober reflection for us and a day for the veterans to let loose a bit. It seems to have been "bushwhacked" by attitude. My father, those that fought with him, those that fought in wars before and after him were true heroes... lest we forget. Tis a shame that often these things are forgotten when mobs get on the piss

Posted by suzhousid, 20/04/2010 10:20:52 AM, on The Herald

these louts should not be conscripted into the army, as the army wouldn't want them - but they could be well utilised in Operation Human Shield - to be used as first line defence in front of our diggers overseas - ie. mine clearance, bomb disposal, ammo fodder etc.

Posted by Sgt Hartman, 20/04/2010 10:23:07 AM, on The Herald

As a society, legally weak on behaviour, crime and respect we are now reaping what we have sown. These mindless thugs, male and female, perpetrating the violence, a lot in the hope they will become Utube stars, are the forerunners of the generations that were brought up on 'conferencing', 'warnings' and 'please dont do it again' and non-accountability' type of trainings, to a point some believe it is their birthright to attack, bash and maim others and other anti-social behaviours, more often than not with a belly full of alcohol mixed with drugs, as long as they outnumber their victim/s by at least 10-1

Posted by MizJasper, 20/04/2010 10:33:35 AM, on The Herald

I remember as a young fellow growing up in a one pub town, the local publican would always start the two up game early, mainly for the old diggers that appreciated it's worth and respected it's heritage, but also so he could shut it down before the late afternoon when the boofheads were starting to get well oiled and the trouble would start. I don't think the alcohol and the violence is such a new thing, but perhaps the draping of flags and 'overt patriotism' is. Maybe it should tie in with yesterday's remarks, Jeff, and have all these things closed so that everyone is home in time for tea?

Posted by crusty, 20/04/2010 10:43:58 AM, on The Herald

You can't be a true hero or patriotic Australian until you get a Southern Cross tattoo.

Posted by moron, 20/04/2010 11:44:32 AM, on The Herald

you've nailed it Buell. Respect. I wonder though what drives the behaviour. Is there nothing for our youth to believe in, and so they cling to what they see as something they SHOULD be proud of it? In the absence of good leadership people will cling to anything that gives them some meaning.

Posted by fista, 20/04/2010 12:01:04 PM, on The Herald

Holidays that have a nationalistic feeling about them such as Anzac and Australia Day seem to really bring out the ferrel in the bogans in the community. One thing that sticks in my memory was on last Australia Day when a train load of bogans arrived at Newcastle station on the Maitland train around mid day. What a 'flipping' disgrace they were with their alcohol fueled chants, screaming and cape and flag waving behavior. Enough to make the men and women that worked hard and fought for this country roll in their graves.

Posted by thinkitthrough, 20/04/2010 12:02:10 PM, on The Herald

Anzac Day Bogun Kit: Australian flag-cape, southern cross tattoo transfer, slab of beer, schooner glass (for glassing), IV vial of aggression and violence, V8 ute, pumped up biceps (must be shirtless, repeat MUST be shirtless), f'd up haircut that looks like a cockatoo's head, four mates of identical description, complete lack of knowledge of Austrailan history - especially ANZAC history. On sale now for $99.95 - while stocks last.

Posted by Demtel, 20/04/2010 12:14:43 PM, on The Herald