A personal story based on a relationship with a war veteran
When I was younger, I was fascinated by my grandfather’s war stories relating to his involvement in the North Korean War / Vietnamese War. He would recall his acts of bravery, while trying to protect his mates, and then jump to stories of sheer terror. There were shocking stories relating to dismembered fallen mates. Other times, my grandfather and his fellow soldiers would throw the bomb that would obliterate an entire village. I would watch intently as he seemed to take on that long stare of horror as he slipped into another time and place. During such moments I would see a tear slip through those cracks, especially when I asked him how many people he had killed. I never got a straight answer.
Link to prompt: To this day I will never know how many lives were destroyed by my Grandfather. During traumatic times like these we see how no one is completely innocent. ETC…
Sample 1
Recently our community was devastated to hear the news of the local Gerant family, whose house had all but burned down in a terrible fire, caused by Mrs Gerant. Sharon was just sixteen years old, but has since showed remarkable tenacity. Her mother had left a cigarette burning late at night and when 15 year old Sharon woke up the house was full of smoke. She quickly woke up the family, grabbed her younger sister and ran out onto the footpath, calling 000 which arrived in two minutes. However, she was devastated at losing all her precious possessions that can never be recovered. Despite this she had to remain strong because her mother has been wallowing in grief and guilt ever since. Sharon she has had to pick up the pieces, rallying for community support in our neighbourhood of East Hilton, and organising the rebuilding of their new home. Many local workers donated their time and energy and work. And she has been trying to look after her eight-year old sister.
It’s times like these when our community has also rallied around Sharon that it does give us all a chance to show what it is to sometimes step outside our ordinary lives.
Sample 6: Youth Leader Persona style beginning
(Megan Stack and the Lieutenant)
Last week, members of the Students Against War group at Southern University participated in the march to Parliament House to protest against the Government’s foolish desire to commit ground troops again to Iraq. We and thousands of protestors are of the view that war, aggression and violence will never lead to a lasting solution to conflict. I was heartened by typical placards: “There is no future without forgiveness”, or one quoting the pope states: … reconciliation… (The placards would relate to the prompt.)
Link to prompt: Confrontation is not the way; rather when seeking to solve conflict we must find common ground; we must find a way that protects the interests of all stakeholders otherwise we will be forever threatened. Aggression and violence render our communities much less safe and diminish us all, harming many innocent victims. We breed fear; we live in fear whilst we fail to implement lasting solutions.
Sample 8 (Galileo)
Last week, my family and I participated in the march to Parliament House to protest against the Government’s plan to slash the renewable energy targets. Motivated by recent claims that the earth may be inhabitable by 2050, we, and thousands of others, voiced our protest at the cuts. We believe that global warming is the “greatest moral challenge of our time”. It seems immoral that there are climate-deniers and apologists for the mining industries who believe that coal is the best guarantee for a prosperous future.
Link to prompt: Evidently, each generation has its challenges, as new ideas and theories clash. For the past 30 years scientific theory has challenged the status quo. This sets up a powerful divide between groups in society.
If you choose this rally type beginning, you can finish with a discussion of the views of one of the keynote speakers, such as a war veteran or professor.
Sample 2
Whilst some people show their true colours in times of conflict, others are destroyed. A contrasting tragic story was that of Jamima Panton, who jumped off the top of a building after suffering from workplace discrimination at Cafe Starlight near East Hilton railway station. She was persecuted relentlessly. At her inquest, it was reported that the workers delighting in mocking Jamima by “putting fish oil in her bag, covering her with chocolate sauce and telling her that she was worthless and didn’t deserve to be there …” For several months, Jamima resorted to self-harm and then finally suicided by jumping from the top level of a multi-storied car park. Since then many members in the community have refused to patronise Cafe Starlight and for a while it closed down. It has now reopened with new management and a memorial to Jamima. ..
Sample 3
Incidentally, the conflict between the community citizens here in Meredith and the McDonald’s multinational corporation continues to escalate. 900 citizens have now signed a petition objecting to the store opening a branch opposite the local Meredith Primary School and it is heartening to see the Council’s support. I might add, most citizens have not wavered in their views about this issue. Most have not changed priorities even after hearing objections and the rationalising arguments put forward by McDonalds about financial benefits to the community. Mrs Panton and Mr Stiles recently visited Mcdonald’s headquarters in Miami to voice the council’s concerns and the fact that it was inappropriate in the green heart of Meredith. At the moment, negotiations have reached a stalemate with both camps fortifying the trenches. Neither is changing priorities.
Sample 4
And just one final comment. We would like to pay tribute to the courage and daring of … who was one of our local leaders four years ago.
Should we get involved? (bystander versus getting involved…)
How can we forget the vicious knife attack on Lynne Coleman in a Meredith street last week. Thankfully she has recovered and has had her day in court. You may recall that she was viciously “rewarded” for her act of kindness to Leno Yammouni who stabbed her … A mother of four, Lyne said she was physically and mentally scarred. Judge Joe Gullaci heard how Ms Coleman stopped her car because she thought Yammouni had fallen from his motorbike and needed assistance on June 23 last year. Crown prosecutor Kieran Gilligan said these actions seriously undermined the notion of the good Samaritan. ‘This type of conduct tears at the fabric of society in that members of the community may be less willing to offer assistance to others in the future”.
Recently, she has been returned home but needs assistance; and sadly, she is suffering from post-traumatic stress.
Sample 5
Sadly our community is mourning the loss of Trooper Paul Smith. Last week I represented the Meredith Youth Group at his funeral; before he went to war several years ago, he was a leader of our group. Strangely enough, he gave a speech to the group just before he went to Afghanistan. This was just after I joined the group and I will never forget his tattoo, “freedom is not free”..
It was particularly sad because his family had been anxiously waiting to welcome him; he was a local hero who was awarded a medal for his valiant service. After his return, he seemed to be quite jovial, but as his wife said recently, small things would upset like a plastic bag floating in the wind or the smell of turpentine. What his friends or Sally, didn’t know is that he was suffering post traumatic stress. Very unpredictably, he shot himself after a vicious argument …
(OR, he shot himself in the leg and had to have his leg amputated from the knee down… ironically he had survived the brutality of the war to come home and lose a leg)
Sample 5
Whilst we, in the community, see our local boy and now decorated soldier, Trooper Warren as a hero, he was very ambivalent about his role. Suffering from severe depression at times, he would become very angry. He couldn’t get out of his mind the damage he had done.
And whilst he believed he was fighting the ‘baddies” and killing terrorists he realized that they were killing innocent babies and women. He’d lost his sleep.
Private Paul Warren was involved in the 2009 raid by Australian special forces. They mistakenly killed five children among several civilians in a fire-fight with insurgents in Oruzgan province that went terribly wrong. He will always suffer from devastating nightmares of that horror. Private Warren realised he was guilty of inflicting immense suffering and pain and knew that women and children (like his own) were killed. (Place de Garnier)
He has since revealed many of the unspoken truths about war. And whilst he believed he was fighting the ‘baddies” and killing terrorists he realized that they were killing innocent babies and women. He has difficulty sleeping at night.
A story about Sam Smith:
It’s a story of mixed emotions, of courage and sadness. Sam Smith had been anxiously waiting to welcome his father home. His father was awarded a medal for his heroic service in Afghanistan. After his return, his father, Paul, seemed to be quite jovial but sadly small things would upset him like a plastic bag floating in the wind or the smell of turpentine. What his friends or his wife Sally didn’t know is that he was suffering from post-traumatic stress. Very unpredictably he shot himself in the leg after an argument and had to have his leg amputated from the knee down. Ironically, he survived the brutality of the war only to come home and lose a leg. After his accident, he gained a lot more support from the local community and they tried to help him understand his pain.
Return to summary page: conflict