Written by Melanie Taylor…
Dear Papa,
It’s been 15 years since you died, and the world is all the worse for it. In fact, it’s all the worse for the loss of many good men like yourself who fought in wars, valued God and family, and upheld decent morals.
You fought for our freedoms in World War 2, yet as time goes by, we lose more of our freedoms with each passing day.
While we lose our freedoms from leftist ideologies and evil government policies, we also lose it because of our own stupidity.
Can you believe that there are so many people, Papa, who are slaves to screens? Yes, we now spend endless time staring at these handheld screens, and our young people today have lost personal connections and communication skills because of it.
And while there were ‘warriors’ in WW2, we now have ‘keyboard warriors’…people who think they know everything yet only have the guts to fight with words via typing on a screen. They fight from the comfort of their own houses; they belittle and mock others from their own country and have no ability to debate in person or to look any further than their own beliefs and ideologies.
You would be so saddened by the world today, Papa.
While back in your day, people would listen to the radio or watch the news to find out the truth about what was going on at home and around the world, we now have mainstream media feeding the world with lies, opinions and propaganda.
You would be so disappointed in the world today, Papa.
While you fought for families and for your future generations, we now have broken families everywhere, fatherlessness and unprecedented family violence. Our world’s fertility rates are continually dropping.
Our education system is a mess, and now teaches promiscuity, exploring all relationship ideologies, and that you can be whatever gender you choose. Can you believe that there are some teachers in schools nowadays who are calling pupils from their preferred gender? They will call a boy a girl, just because the boy feels like being a girl.
Long gone are the days of promoting abstinence before marrying a person of your opposite sex.
You would be so confused by the world today, Papa.
While you fought to ensure the safety, freedom and survival of your family and future generations, we had over 600 broken people commit suicide in the year 2023/2024 in New Zealand alone.
You would be so devastated by the world today, Papa.
I remember how you believed in the Christian foundations of national celebrations and remembrance such as Christmas and Easter, in the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus. This year, only 1 political party mentioned Easter as having anything to do with Jesus. God has been removed from parliament, and gone are the Godly foundations our country was set upon.
You would be so ashamed of our current government, Papa.
I remember you discussing with me how while fighting alongside your fellow countrymen in the war, you all saw each other as equals, as the same. How regardless of race, colour and beliefs, you all bled the same. You were proud to fight in the war in unity with other soldiers.
Now our country is divided like never before Papa. A new war has erupted, and it is one of separation between races. There are now protests that are race-based and hatred spreading between races.
You would be so heartbroken Papa.
So, while people glare at their screens, voice radical ideologies that are affecting our children, divide as a nation and throw traditional morals and values out the window, I pray Papa, that they will stop for a moment this ANZAC Day and reflect on everything it was that so many brave soldiers in wars gone, fought for.
That people will see how grieved so many of our war veterans would be at the state of our nation. That people would truly understand the importance of everything you fought for.
LEST WE FORGET
God of our fathers, known of old,
Lord of our far-flung battle line,
Beneath whose awful hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!
