Guilt by Association NPC Journal (gba_npc) wrote in gba_rpg, @ 2010-05-01 09:46:00 |
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RP: Remembrance Day
Date: 2 May 1999 [THIS IS PRE-DATED. OCCURS THE 2ND IN GAME]
Characters: Public - open to everyone (add your tag)
Location: Hogwarts
Status: Public
Summary: The wizarding population celebrates its first day of Remembrance
Completion: InComplete
The morning's sunrise had been strikingly similar to the one exactly one year ago - red and gold and radiant - a sunset designed to thaw out the bleak and weary and remind them that there was still warmth in the world. Kingsley had been up all night, though not for soul-searching purposes, nor political reasons, nor in preparation for the speech he was about to make. No, he'd spent the night remembering the dead - those who'd lost their lives during the long stretch of war they'd endured. They were his friends, his comrades, strangers, and enemies, and from each of their actions, separately and together, he tried to pull a strand of wisdom. It was far easier to learn a lesson from the dead then receive one from the living, and unfortunately, many people realized that too late.
His dark eyes drifted over the group of people gathered for the service, seated in white chairs across the stretch of lawn. The lake was a serene backdrop but for the occasional ripple of water and splash of a Merperson's tail. The Ministry had anticipated a large turnout - man, beast, and beings alike, and it seemed that most had made it to Hogwarts today. He was glad for it. In spite of rising tension, Ministry blunders, and senseless assumptions, the crowd gathered today had come to honor the dead and remind themselves why those lives had been paid. Raising the end of his wand to his throat, he performed a wordless Sonorus and began to speak.
"We are here today for one sole purpose: to remember those who lost their lives in a long, drawn-out war. This war did not last one night; it didn't last a year. No, it spanned decades - a significant part of this generation's history, leaving us much with much to bear."
"There are simple lessons to learn from war. We have learned fear, grief, anger, and hatred. We have learned of blame and denial. We became all too familiar with change, for worse more than better, and how accepting that change can so quickly ruin a person or society."
"We have learned of death, too. How swift it can come and how unfair it can be. We know everyone is susceptible, age, race, sex, and status non-withstanding. We have felt the pain and injustice of losing someone and felt it deeply, wondering how we might ever recover. War is brutal, and this particular war took its toll on both the living and the dead. The loss was so great that it made the victories hard to distinguish, let alone be proud of."
"These lessons aren't just simple; they're easy to recollect. It's become far too easy for us to turn to fear and hatred in ignorance. We cling to the grief and anger. We focus on our past and immerse ourselves in that misery because it's easy to remember - a natural reaction."
Clearing his throat gently, he continued, "There are more complicated lessons to be learned from war, and not every person manages that." He paused. "Courage. Love. Remorse. Those of you who defended Hogwarts may recall the significance in those few words, and who spoke them. We cannot erase our history, but we can develop the courage to change it. We can appreciate those who were willing to sacrifice their lives, because it is to them who we owe our success, not the Ministry. We need to remember and support the victims who weren't afforded a choice in terms of sacrifice. In the end, we had to depend on each other, however ordinary or extraordinary, and hope that our noble convictions might withstand the tragedy."
"I cannot say whether or not love conquers all, but I do understand remorse. I understand remorse and the desire for improvement that stems from it. It is my hope that today, while you are here, you look past the simple lessons you learned and remember the importance of the sacrifices that were made and of the injustices that were suffered. If we want to change history, we have to speak up against the ignorance. We're all equal. No-one should be the victim of intolerance. Recognize the fear and hate mongering for what it is."
He'd been advised about addressing things in the Prophet during the Memorial Service, but he thought people might best be reached upon the reflection of the past. "There are people out there who are still thriving on creating fear and anger. They know how quickly it spreads and the panic it causes. They're counting on people to react rashly and perpetuate the situation. You've read about them and from them in the Prophet - opinions from the uninformed. And," he added, a slight glimmer in his eye, "a lack of commentary from those recognizing the ignorance for what it is."
"We are all equally responsible for this society, so it's important that you don't lose sight of what we're striving for - the unity and understanding - the reconstruction to make things better. Don't lose your grip on whom you can depend. Together, we can make this victory count."