Malvinas Day April 2Nd

[HeyHeyJose]

Hi all,

Wednesday April 2nd is a holiday in observance of "National Day of the Veterans and Fallen of the Malvinas War".

According to the web page of the Association of Veterans of the War [AVEGUEMA] there is an event in Plaza San Martin at 10:00am.

For those interested in learning about an important part of your host country's history and culture this will be good event to check out.

Feel free to bring your Union Jack's t-shirt.

 

[Napoleon]

For those interested in learning about an important part of your host country's history and culture this will be good event to check out.

I hope that they don't plan to host events at every memorial and planned, but never funded, memorial in the city (especially those built or proposed during election years), because they might have to have TWO "bridge days" and then run on through until Sunday night.

On a serious note, it's always the poor kids that get used for cannon fodder and the wealthy kids sit back and watch. Then if their military venture is unsuccessful, it's a sad day/time for the country, but if they are successful, then the "leaders" take all of the credit and the cannon fodder wait until the next time they're needed.

I was discussing this war with an Argentine housemate last week and he was telling me a second hand anecdote about a, Argentine military officer who would leave the base down on the islands and drive to the house of an old schoolmate of his from his time in England and have tea with his friend and his friend's wife. Then after tea, he'd drive back to the base and wait for the battle that would come.

This housemate was saying that the upper classes of Argentina and England were so intertwined that it was as inconceivable that they would go to war against each other as if the US & England would go to war against each other today. It was just bizarre. Which led me to think of the Thomas Hardy poem that my entire grade had to memorize (all with other famous poems through the school year) back in 7th Grade for Mr. Connolly's English class.

The Man He Killed
by Thomas Hardy

"Had he and I but met
By some old ancient inn,
We should have sat us down to wet
Right many a nipperkin!

"But ranged as infantry,
And staring face to face,
I shot at him as he at me,
And killed him in his place.

"I shot him dead because —
Because he was my foe,
Just so: my foe of course he was;
That's clear enough; although

"He thought he'd 'list, perhaps,
Off-hand like — just as I —
Was out of work — had sold his traps —
No other reason why.

"Yes; quaint and curious war is!
You shoot a fellow down
You'd treat if met where any bar is,
Or help to half-a-crown."

 

[Redpossum]

Because I'm trying very hard to be relentlessly positive, I will refrain from endorsing your first paragraph, (which is not to say I necessarily disagree), but the rest of what you just said is so right on!

Having grown up in a military family, I know exactly what you mean. I'm reminded of a brutally un-PC satire by the National Lampoon. We've all heard that slogan, "The Few, The Proud, The Marines". This was a picture of a black man in Marine dress blues, but with no shoes. The caption read, "De Poor, De Colored, De Marines".

On the other side of the coin was the quip that there was going to be a movie about Dan Quayle's contribution to the Vietnam war effort, which would be entitled Full Dinner Jacket.

The system sucks. War sucks.

 

[GS_Dirtboy]

Where is Pat Conroy when we need him?

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Because I'm trying very hard to be relentlessly positive, I will refrain from endorsing your first paragraph, (which is not to say I necessarily disagree), but the rest of what you just said is so right on!

Having grown up in a military family, I know exactly what you mean. I'm reminded of a brutally un-PC satire by the National Lampoon. We've all heard that slogan, "The Few, The Proud, The Marines". This was a picture of a black man in Marine dress blues, but with no shoes. The caption read, "De Poor, De Colored, De Marines".

On the other side of the coin was the quip that there was going to be a movie about Dan Quayle's contribution to the Vietnam war effort, which would be entitled Full Dinner Jacket.

The system sucks. War sucks.

The Lampoon also produced The Vietnamese Baby Book, which included snapshots such as "Baby's First Amputation."

 

[johnw100]

This housemate was saying that the upper classes of Argentina and England were so intertwined that it was as inconceivable that they would go to war against each other as if the US & England would go to war against each other today. It was just bizarre. Which led me to think of the Thomas Hardy poem that my entire grade had to memorize (all with other famous poems through the school year) back in 7th Grade for Mr. Connolly's English class.

Interesting article here about the relationship http://http://www.buenosairesenglish.com/2011/01/faded-glory-the-history-of-british-investment-in-argentina/
Argentina was pretty much the India of South America. Whilst Spain and Portugal had the rest of the continent, Britain wanted a hand in some of the wealth. Argentina was 2nd only to the United States in imports to the UK at the turn of last century. Then Peron turned up whilst we were fighting the Nazis and took everything owned by British companies for Argentina and gave little compensation for it all. It goes pretty much down hill from there.