“SBS presenter Scott McIntyre has been sacked from the broadcaster after posting a series of comments about Anzac Day on Twitter that were described as “inappropriate and disrespectful”.”

Sydney Morning Herald – April 26th, 2015

http://www.smh.com.au/national/sbs-presenter-scott-mcintyre-sacked-over-inappropriate-anzac-day-tweets-20150426-1mtbx8.html

Don’t get me wrong, Scott McIntyre put his thoughts and ideas behind ANZAC Day on twitter in what can be easily labelled as ‘inappropriate’. However, that is the malice that we apply from the context of the words he chose to include in 140 characters.

But are the ideas behind his comments worth discussing? Should we debate why the term ‘ANZACary’ has recently appeared? How do we overcome the very quick gut-reaction of demonising anyone questioning ANZAC Day? Where on the ‘inappropriate scale’ do we place Mr McIntyre’s comments relative to some of the content of this solemn page: http://anzacdayselfies.tumblr.com/?

Can we even have an open discussion when the anonymity of social media allows otherwise proud and patriotic Australians to open up a can-of-social-whoop-ass on anyone who questions the most holy of Australian & New Zealand days?

As an ex-solider (Australian Army) who has served to ‘protect the freedom’ of Australians in a recent war (Afghanistan) with similar ‘Australian-freedom-related outcomes’ to past wars/campaigns (Eg: Iraq, Vietnam, Gallipolli), ANZAC day sits very oddly in my mind.

Now, a quick disclaimer:

I remember lives lost in service of our country (including those I served with personally) every day.

I will not forget.

This year I attended my local Anzac Day Dawn Service in Epping NSW and it makes an interesting and hopefully comparable case study to many metropolitan areas in Australia.

Epping Dawn Service Pictures Courtesy of The Daily Telegraph, April 25th 2015.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/news/forest-park-sees-biggest-turnout-for-epping-anzac-ceremony/story-fngr8gwi-1227319992951

Epping-Eastwood, NSW is composed of a dwindling 50% Anglo-Australian population. One only needs to read the names on the WWI catafalque of the lives lost in this area to know that it must’ve been 100% Anglo-Australian in 1914 when the locals signed up. However, direct descendants of those lost would only make up a small percentage of the remaining population.

The 2011 Australian Census has 24.4% of the population of Epping alone being a migrant from an Asian country (China (11.7%), South Korea (6.6%), Hong Kong (6.1%), India (4.6%)).

Walk around these bright, beautiful and wonderful multi-cultural suburbs in the day time and you can definitely back up that census with both visual and olfactory observation.

During the Dawn Service, where we commemorate and respect the sacrifices made by previous Australian’s who helped make what our nation is today, I looked around. On observation alone I’d say that the non-Anglo community that live in high numbers in the surrounding area must have contributed less than 5% of the crowd, however this was a subjective observation, I did not poll the crowd present at the time to back this up.

I don’t have the answers to why not. Whether it’s the Christian focus in the service that drives people of another faith away, or whether they feel they don’t belong there because they had no ancestral link in this country…I can only guess, but I’d still love a national discussion about it. I’d love to look around and see the Australia Day multi-cultural crowd at the ANZAC Day services.

It was a chilly morning but my heart was warmed seeing a representative of the Asian sub-continent population in the RAAF cadets present at the parade. Also considering the time of day and temperature during the pre-dawn service I think he had the best and most sensible ‘lid’ for the occasion.

Note the young Australian on the far left.

I’ve taken the time to ‘re-publish’ Scott McIntyre’s words into what I think are idea’s worth discussing or even just considering, without labeling a publisher of such thoughts as “unpatriotic” or accusing them of “desecrating the graves of our war dead with their unpatriotic words and/or ideals”.

Scott McIntyre Tweet Nr 1

A small number of Australian & New Zealand soldiers allegedly behaved inappropriately and conducted acts which would have been deemed illegal if conducted on home soil. Eg: Theft, Sexual Assault etc. These acts can also be fitted under the theme of ‘War Atrocities’. Unfortunately, many Allied war atrocities have gone unpunished, as history is often written by the victor. We (Western Powers) have certainly prosecuted many war criminals and put them on trial at The Hague (eg: Slobodan Milošević, Death Camp Nazi’s etc.).

Post-War is like that.

Scott McIntyre Tweet Nr 2

Atomic bombs (aka Weapons of Mass Destruction) were detonated over Hiroshima and Nagasaki towards the end of World War II by the United States as part of the Allied Coalition. In hindsight it was deemed an unnecessary and tragic action as history will tell us Japan was on the back foot and the war was coming to its end soon regardless. Other outings by Allied air forces which in hindsight were also deemed ‘extreme’ include the bombing of Dresden and Berlin (my father loves visiting the Lancaster Bomber at the Australian War Memorial, “G for George”, as he was bombed by it as a baby in Berlin).

Of course, the Axis powers also conducted ‘civilian’ raids themselves (eg: The Blitz, WWII Japanese bombing of Darwin etc).

War can get like that.

Scott McIntyre Tweet Nr 3

At times, parts of the low socioeconomic community, who may not have as high standards of education as other parts of the Australian community (“poorly-read” as Scott puts it), unfortunately utilise alcohol as a way of managing with their circumstances. In some instances this is mixed with gambling with poor results. Alcohol is known to play havoc with mental processes including memory, which may cause the user to forget why they were drinking to begin with (eg: commemorating ANZAC day). These instances are very noticeable to the rest of the public especially when fueled by out-group intolerance, a fear and misunderstanding of those whom they don’t regularly involve themselves with. This is what I think Mr McIntyre referred to as ‘nationalistic’

But remembering wars can get like that.

I can understand why this is happening, before I deployed to Afghanistan with the Army, I had similar out-group intolerance due to lack of education and understanding. I received much of my exposure to the Islamic faith via front pages of printed media giants, needless to say I was biased. It was until I was lucky enough to work side-by-side with Muslims (interpreters and Afghan Army soldiers) in Afghanistan, fighting against ‘extremists’ whose ideals can hardly be called Islamic. I asked questions, they happily gave answers, and with that I was educated and experienced first hand what that religion is about and I’ve now come to respect the Islamic faith and its followers.

It took an open mind and open dialogue for this to happen, of course being stuck on a hill surrounded by the enemy also helps you get along.

Scott McIntyre Tweet Nr 4

Much focus has been placed on the Gallipoli campaign and the 8700 Australian lives lost, as it was our first war outing as an Australian nation. Unfortunately, as it is with war, it was with a country with whom we had no direct quarrel and posed no direct threat to our country. However, as it is with war and alliances, these things often happen, and still happen to this day (Eg: Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq).

War is like that.

The many actions and heroic acts of other campaigns and indeed other wars are often overlooked. An ABC Radio National poll conducted this year (2015) found that its listeners (presumably a well educated bunch of Aussies) thought that Gallipoli received too much focus during ANZAC day commemorations. Australia’s first WWI casualty was actually well before the 25th of April, 1915. Lieutenant William Chisholm was killed on 27th August 1914 in France (where we lost over 46,000 Australian lives), not to mention the Australian lives lost on September 1914 during the Capture of Rabaul and the HMAS Sydney and SMS Emden engagement.

http://www.navy.gov.au/history/feature-histories/capture-rabaul-and-sydneyemden-engagement-1914

Prioritising focus on events where Australian lives are lost is difficult at best. Every life is valuable and precious. Perhaps we should focus on where we are now and whether we still contribute our lives to similar causes with similiar results.

Queen Elizabeth said it best:

“To all those who have suffered as a consequence of our troubled past I extend my sincere thoughts and deep sympathy. With the benefit of historical hindsight we can all see things which we would wish had been done differently or not at all.”

War, in hindsight, is like that.

I believe it is best we seriously consider every conflict we devote our forces to. Especially consider the outcomes of previous (including similar) conflicts that we have sent young Australians to.

I believe every ANZAC day in Canberra, those standing in front of the Australian War Memorial during the Dawn and National Service should every now and then turn around 180 degrees, look at the big house on the big hill and ask those inside, “was it worth it?”.

Final disclaimer & Personal ANZAC Day Message:

I cringe as I’m about to blow my own trumpet… but I write the following only to appeal to those about to label me as un-Australian, a Traitor, or perhaps some sort of Anti-Australian Anarchist.

I’m biased. This is the blog of a proud flag-loving Aussie.

I’m a descendant (mixed-breed mongrel) of Serbian, Lebanese and Italian ancestors, I am the son of a German migrant (also known these days as a “boat person”), who ended up fracturing his neck, injuring his spinal cord, becoming a partial quadriplegic whilst serving with the Australian Army, who chased down and married an Australian nurse tending to the war wounded at Concord Hospital in Sydney.

I’m one of four boys, 3 have served either in the Australian Army (a Soldier and an Officer) or with the Australian Army in Iraq and Afghanistan (one as an entertainer/comedian, see http://www.danilic.com/tag/afghanistan/) , the other one …well he flies Aussies over those places as a QANTAS pilot.

I discharged after Afghanistan and spent my earnings (your tax dollars) on an education and now I’m a Physiotherapist. I chased down and married a Registered Nurse, I help rehab (and also living my life through the life of) those who are much better at sport (& Politics) than me!

I hope in some small way my family has helped make this Commonwealth of ours, renowned of all the lands.

Yes I’m a proud Aussie. Whilst I’m not particularly proud of my service in the military and the deployment I partook in, I’m certainly proud of my fellow ex-serviceman, my friends, my family and my service out of the military.

I’m also extremely proud of those who served alongside me. They are some of the brightest minds and most professional soldiers I’ve ever met, many who served multiple combat tours in multiple theaters away from their families and loved ones. Many of who were not recognised and respected by the Army for their unique service and have since discharged, re-trained in a trade and are now side-by-side with you in the community without saying a word. A trained eye can spot these ‘characters’ as they say the best thing (and sometimes only thing) you can take away from the Australian Defence Force is the ‘Character Building’.

Furthermore I salute you who remain in the service despite the hardships constantly endured by you and your families. I particularly acknowledge the clandestine intelligence and special forces services, for it is these men and women whose great deeds are not advertised, whose mission is never complete, and whose support is only amongst each other and behind closed doors. In 50 years when your work is declassified, I hope you are of good enough health to toast in your public praise. Until then, every ANZAC day, I will have a quiet beer in your honour.

Lest We Forget.

Late edit (29/4/15):

Nowhere in the above piece do I comment nor condemn on the action taken by SBS against Scott McIntyre. Nor do I state that his dismissal is against ‘freedom of speech’. Since this post various news networks and Mumbrella have referenced this post (http://mumbrella.com.au/petition-launched-to-save-sacked-sbs-reporter-scott-mcintyre-as-afr-journo-tweets-in-protest-289653), most have assumed that I have commented on the action taken by SBS and that I directly stated that the backlash against Mr McIntyre’s comments goes against freedom of speech. Careful reading of this blog with an open mind would allay that from happening.

It further illustrates that the fine details in any discussion regarding ANZAC day will be clouded over by emotion and presumption.

Thank you everyone for you comments on Twitter, Facebook and on this post.

Regards, Nick Ilic

Please consider supporting Legacy with a small donation this ANZAC Day.

Legacy is a charity providing services to Australian families suffering financially and socially after the incapacitation or death of a spouse or parent, during or after their defence force service. We currently care for around 90,000 widows and 1,900 children and disabled dependants throughout Australia.

Who will support those who are left behind? They know not when or whether they will hear from their loved ones again, but they give them 100% love and support regardless.

https://www.legacy.com.au/donate

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http://www.defence.gov.au/vale/