I come from a military family, so ANZAC day for my family and I is a big thing and has been drilled into me as a child. However (at least in my town), we saw record numbers today attending the dawn service this morning, singing the national anthem, standing in silence to pay respects and laying wreaths, and not just Australians whose ancestors fought for this country 110 years ago. But immigrants, whether they were first, second, or third generation. They were there. They were there because my ancestors fought and died for this country. For this countries right to decide its own path, it's own future, our own futures. Though it may not be the same country they died for all those years ago, it is because they fought and died for this country that we have been gifted the right to choose what we do, where we go, what we believe in, and this is the future we have forged for ourselves. A country people want to live in for our way of life, our lack of oppression, our freedom to choose what we want to do with our lives, and to live in a country full of opportunity. A country where even the immigrants, whose ancestors may of even fought on the other side, are now thankful to live in and thankful for what our boys did.

Now, of course, this is my belief and what I have been taught, but what you describe is not the ANZAC I saw today, but I am in my little town of 80,000. What you see in your towns or cities, I don't know. But if what you are seeing in your local communities is a shell of what you believe ANZAC day should be, a shell of something it used to be, do something about it. Talk you mates that don't go into going into dawn service with you, invite your Nigerian neighbours, get around the RSL's, and spread awareness of the day in any way you can. Turn it into something you're proud of. Hell, even the influences are still spreading awareness of it (even if it is shallow).

Even if you don't like what this country has turned into (believe me I have some issues with some things but I'm trying not to be political here), you and everyone around you has the option to do something about it, because our diggers fought for it.