Without a Yesterday There is No Today and No Tomorrow

Remembrance Day - Bryan Adams

In school I dreaded history and geography classes. One teacher, affectionately known as "Turkey" made geography fun but my grades were a reflection of my limited comprehension. I passed but without a lot of pride in my C grade. It turns out that I am primarily a "hands-on" (kinesthetic) learner. When I left my hometown of Thunder Bay Ontario and started to physically explore the world and my country, I began to understand and retain the information. Suddenly I could identify more than just the homeland boot in Europe. "Turkey" would be so proud of me. I still want to do much more exploring of the European nation for there is so much I don't know still. And still hoping for my Norwegian cruise someday! ;)

Love of history came about in a very different way. There are way too many anniversaries of births and deaths that take up space in my memory that adding more numbers was not to be. And there didn't seem to be anyway that I could physically go back in time to learn my way. But all those deaths that I endured, gave me a faith in the spiritual being. That faith became curiosity and a desire to learn about time before there was me.

I didn't know my dad, I certainly don't remember my dad but I still felt his love. My dad died when I was 2 years old. I don't really know when I heard of the concept of re-incarnation but even before I knew what it was or meant I had a firm belief that the family dog, Scamp, was with us to protect us. I believed that their spirits were one - my dad and the mongrel we loved. Pretty radical thinking for a good little Catholic girl. I think my mother would have been tolerant but my grandparents would have flipped a gasket. 

Beyond that, I truly believe that my father spoke to me (yes from beyond). I was about 7 years old. Too young and too sheltered to make this stuff up. I wrote about my some of my spiritual experiences in stories that I will link to at the end of this missive.

Understanding the significance of my early childhood unworldly experiences allowed me to accept the possibility for real, and allow the sensations to come forth. And that's how history became an important part of my life. 

As a kid, Remembrance Day was a day that families of all denominations gathered at the cenotaph and watched the soldiers march. I didn't have relations that were part of the military in the wars. I stood solemnly because of the sacrifices that were made by others so that I could live free in Canada. It was important even if it didn't hit my own home.

My grandfather only shared two stories of the war. Both occurred when he lived in Italy as a young father. One was being forcibly taken from his home as his wife and young children looked on. I don't know why this happened or if he spent time as a soldier (beyond the mandatory 1 year service all Italian boys were forced to do - if that). The second story he shared was hearing a deafening noise and looking up to the sky to see it blackened with the shroud of hundreds of planes flying in formation. It was a frightening sight. I have never heard any other first hand accounts of war service beyond the anonymous veterans that used to come to school and talk to us.

At some point, attending Remembrance Day services at church or at the memorial became more than I could emotional handle. In fact, I was so overcome that I was physically removed from the midst of a service to seek comfort privately. Compassion, empathy or a feeling of spiritual connected-ness, I don't know. But something had stirred deep within my soul.

As I said, I didn't have a personal family connection to any of the wars we were supposed to learn about in school. There was no reason I should feel so deeply saddened. Yet I was.  I began to believe that maybe there was a connection - somewhere in history that I wasn't aware of. I'm still not.

But I have developed an interest in history. You can go lie on a sandy southern beach...I want to explore the trenches of France and see Vimy Ridge for myself. I want to know where my parents parents met and what their life was like. I want to know about the prostitutes and innovators of years gone by. I want to see the primitive tools and more than anything I want to know the stories. Without a yesterday we have no today and no tomorrow.

A majority of Canadians once used to live in small communities with lifestyles, professions and ideals that are all but lost to most of us today. The migration to the big cities has carved the headstone for many rural communities. It's not unusual for a small outpost to be inhabited by primarily senior citizens - the younger people having moved on to find work in less traditional manners. 

When the last of the residents passes on, who will be left to tell the stories of life.  We chuckle to ourselves when we see a post like the picture here online. But while that piece of history may be more pop culture than anything else, it is still important to remember the past. It was George Santayana that said "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Sometimes I suppose, repetition can be a good thing. Do it again and again until we perfect it. But war is not one of those things. 

2014 marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the first world war. For Canadians, November the 11th is the day we collectively stop to remember. Today, at the 11th hour I will be standing with many others silently remembering. I'll hear the 21-gun salute and with every bullet I hear, I will remember the veteran saying "You want to hear the crack of the bullets flying over your head because when you don't, you're dead"

There are many national and international projects on the go that are intent on remember those that sacrificed for our democracy. I encourage you to look some of them up. Maybe you can help.

1. A FACE FOR EVERY NAME. Bringing life in stories and pictures to every name on the stark white headstones in the graves of the fallen.

2. THE MEMORY PROJECT. Ensuring that the fallen are never forgotten and keeping their memories alive.

3. Support your veterans. Buy a poppy, say a prayer, say Thank you. With the passing of time, there are very few surviving WWI veterans left. Sadly, every day we are forced to inscribe the name of another soldier killed for his country. 

Links to posts mentioned above
Something Tells Me You Are Here with Me :) 
Part 1

Part 2

Part 3


Credits:
George Santayana
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Santayana
Los Angeles Times, by Henry Chu, June 28, 2014
http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-world-war-one-20140628-story.html#page=1
History Learning Site - World War I
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/sarajevo_assassination_1914.htm
World Atlas - Metropolitan Populations
http://www.worldatlas.com/citypops.htm
Costs of War
http://costsofwar.org/article/us-and-allied-killed-and-wounded
First World War
http://www.firstworldwar.com/origins/causes.htm
CBC kids facts pictoral
http://www.cbc.ca/kids/the-feed/world-war-i-by-the-numbers-infographic
A Face for Every Name
https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Face-For-Every-Name/669030663155269?ref=stream
The Memory Project
https://www.historicacanada.ca/content/memory-project-joins-minister-veterans-affairs-commemorate-sacrifices-canadian-forces-year
Record breaking poppy sales
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/record-breaking-pace-of-poppy-sales-leading-to-shortages-1.2826988

FOR THE RECORD, I AM VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED TO WAR.

Honouring the Lives Lost for Freedom and Truth

Pittance of TIme - Terry Kelly

Yesterday was November 11th. Remembrance day in Canada. Veterans Day in the United States.

Yesterday morning I walked down Spring Garden Road toward the cenotaph downtown. It was very humbling to be in the crowds with so many men and women in uniform as we all walked together. Of course, as they walked proudly with heads held high the only thing that stood out for me was my admiration for their selfless commitment - I was beneath them. Attending that service yesterday was the first time I had done so in many years. I have been present for many pseudo-services that were held in the schools in Ontario. There was a time when Remembrance was a day off for school children in that province. But it wasn't a day to sleep in and/or play. We bundled up in our scarves and mittens and prepared to stand in the cold and blistery November day to remember and reflect at the local memorial. Back then, there were a lot of veterans from the two great wars in attendance. Like all Italians, my father did his one year stint in the country's army but as he died when I was an infant, I don't know any stories relating to war from/or about his family. My maternal grandparents sometimes talked about the second world war, but only in the context of being in fear of the Germans taking them to POW camps and my grandfather being arrested/taken away for a time. I don't know if he was a soldier or relieved of duty for some reason since at 30 years of age at the start of World War II I assume he was suitable age-wise. I don't know and I don't know anyone left on that side who might share stories with me. (Mom's family wasn't to fond of Dad's side - and consequently I didn't value their opinion on much). Regardless the point is that with the exception of once hearing my grandfather talk about the sky disappearing in blackness because of the sheer numbers of planes flying over head, I have not heard of personal experiences of war. 

But I have always been emotional drawn to the experience and have some very strong feelings and opinions about it. As I got older and started to read stories and see movies and news stories about effects of war and strife it started to resonate. Canada was a peaceful nation but the advent of television brought the global conflicts into the living room. We didn't just hear about teenage boys jumping the border to avoid the draft, we saw the protests that drove them. We saw the passion they had against the war and we heard the reasons, we sat on our couches and saw the battles and the devastation. There are certain things that I am drawn to that I can't explain,  an attachment that I don't fully comprehend. It has always been that way with Ireland and Scotland - the countries, the people, the music, the history - everything. It's also Nova Scotia. And that is the only one that I have been able to fulfil and that is why this place feels like home - and it always has. But I don't know why - there is no family history of living here etc, that I am aware of. I have my theories but that is another story :) All I know is that I don't have an explanation for the pain I feel for victims of war - both those surviving the experience or never returning from it.

Back to Remembrance Day services. With most of the veterans of the second World War now passed on naturally, there are not a lot of them left to go to the schools and share the stories and it seems that the people who have sacrificed for our country in the name of Peace are being forgotten. Fortunately there is a far smaller percentage of us being directly affected by our country's involvement in Afghanistan, Korea and Vietnam to mention just a few missions that have claimed Canadian lives - but it means that there aren't enough of them to speak at the public gatherings. In the schools, the organization of services falls on the volunteerism of teachers and as some teachers put to me when I asked, there is more prestige and recognition given to the teacher who volunteers to coach a team. Sad really. To that end, where we once had a gathering in the school gymnasium for an assembly complete with speakers, stories (read or re-told), the recitation of the poem In Flanders Field, a lone bugler playing Taps and The Last Post to a sea of often wide-eyed children and young people all wearing the familiar red poppy above their heart as they were told was proper. We now have students sitting at their desk in their classroom listening to a recording of the national anthem, and a canned bugle rendering and shuffling of papers and people in the office during the two minutes of silence. Depending on how the schedule of classes fell - not even necessarily close to the 11th hour. And in the high school if you were on a spare or in the halls - you went about your business, as did most of the office staff. More than once, I sat there disgusted as I watched the teacher at his/her desk continue marking papers, reviewing notes while the students followed their example. In the staff room, no one stopped chewing or talking. No one stood. No one cared.

I care. Too much perhaps. Yesterday's service is the first service in many years that I attended from beginning to end without being escorted out or falling apart. Not that it wasn't emotional for it was, but my heart was lifted being among the many young and old from all factions of the military. ANAVET many had emblazoned on their head gear. Army Navy Air Force Veteran. There were men and women, RCMP, cadets and boy scouts. And as another round went off from the guns at Citadel Hill went off, I noticed the young children who were not bothered by the loudness of the blast from the 21-gun salute. I noticed the many families in the crowd, the teens and the throngs of university students. Their attire (many suits and ties paired with running shoes) and their behaviour exuded reverence. No cell phone ringing/texting was evident, no giggling, talking or frivolity. And I thought, this is what it is supposed to be like. This is Remembrance Day. And it wasn't just in this city, it was the same in every town large and small in every one of the 3 Maritime provinces. Case in point, not far from the city of St. John and the Bay of Fundy, the small town of St. George made the news. A personalized banner was erected along the main streets for some of the towns war heroes. It puts a face to the dead and by seeing the image and the names, the youth got more engaged and everyone wanted to know a bit more about the faces they drove past. They became real people (the near forgotten soldiers) they could be a grandparent or other relative.

  Highway of Heroes - The Trews

The "Hollywood" depictions of war are not always accurate and of course no matter how realistic the images and the story, nothing on the screen can depict the smell of death. Without having been in the bloodied shoes of the soldiers, we can't really know what it's like. But this past weekend (in particular) there were a number of documentaries about some of the battles during the wars where the actual surviving soldiers shared some of their experiences. It was the retelling of the D-Day and the storming of the beaches of Normandy that got me. The sheer number of boats and people that did the "dirty work" and the reference to the few Generals that planned the mission and the deadly calculation errors that were made and cost so many lives. Leaving the "relative" safety of the ships many soldiers jumped into the water to head for the beaches only to drown as the water was still too deep and the gear they carried too heavy. One man spoke of surviving because he had his helmet chin strap securely fastened and a pocket of air inside it brought him to the surface. Planes that were supposed to drop bombs in advance of the soldiers to create craters for some cover were late and there was nowhere on the wide open beach to hide. Then there was the seemingly impenetrable  concrete "pillboxes" that protected German soldiers with narrow windows that allowed nothing but the muzzle of a gun to poke out and mow down approaching enemies. But they were not impenetrable. A soldier standing at the base of the structure could not be seen and with a hand grenade and good sense of timing and coordination the soldier could lob that grenade into the tiny window leaving the Germans within no time to react. In the mentality of war it never ceases to amaze me how one can go from recalling the horror or seeing body parts strewn about the beach to the near elation at storming that bunker to find only the lower portion of a soldier distinguishable among the flesh and pieces of bone strewn about the enclosure. And the thing that struck me was that people of other nations died. Young men and women from the other side died too. No one was safe. One veteran spoke of being wounded 5 times in the first day of the invasion alone. Another gentleman spoke of waking to find his leg missing and then being joyful that he was alive. Or the one who was troubled by finding comfort by laying his wounded body on the cushion of 6 fallen comrades. Another was haunted his entire life knowing that he used the body of a dead soldier that he didn't know as a shield to protect himself before realizing he was dead. And over and over again the sentiment was repeated - kill or be killed.

The Fallen 9000

The above picture is an art project conceived by Jamie Wardley and Andy Moss who paid tribute to the 9000 souls who died on the beaches of Normandy, France by scratching their silhouette in the sand. That number includes Allied and German forces and civilians. It is a sobering and tangible look at the sheer numbers lost in just one battle in one war/conflict. It took two years to pull together the permission and 200 volunteers to pull off the project and the force of the tide to wash it away like so much spilled blood 69 ago. This endeavour was organized to coincide with the observance of the International Day of Peace on September 21, 2013. 

Truth be told, I am opposed to war. And over time that has morphed over to an opposition to organized religion as well. There has been an unacceptable amount of blood shed in the name of religion. My God is better than your God, my country is better than your country. Puts me in mind of a bully. And having faced my share of those monsters - I chose not to fight them - believing they aren't worth it. I'm not suggesting that Hitler (for example) didn't need to be stopped - for he did. His warped and distorted views caused grief and despair long before a gun was raised against his followers. So I wonder, were every one of Hiltlers' soldiers a believer in his philosophy of a superior race or were they drafted and/or forced to enlist and fight in his army? Getting back to that half body in the concrete tomb - he was somebody's son. Is his family in Germany permitted to mourn his lose. We call them the enemy and assign them derogatory terms to justify thinking them less than ourselves. But besides their crazed leader (and a few others) - were they really? I don't think so. If I live or am born in a certain country doesn't mean that I agree with the political agenda or policies. In some places I can voice it, others I can't. Today in our free and peacefully Canada, we often take pot shots at our leaders and suggest that they are certifiable and not fit for command. The way that our federal government is treating many of our veterans today while they line their pockets with tax payer dollars is an acceptable of way of them feeling superior to the "average Joe". 

The bottom line for me is this - This Remembrance Day and those to follow I want to remember all the people that were sacrificed in the name of war. Maybe there was a reason for the conflict but in the resolution many innocent people were caught in the crossfire. And I for one am sorry about that.

I am Canadian and I can speak my mind. Thank you!

I heard a song by this band on the radio recently and decided to search for the video. A band I wasn't familiar with but liking the sound, I listened to a few other offerings. It was a random click that that brought me to this video and I knew right away that I had to include it here. It is less the song and more the commentary before that struck me. People who were supposed to be enemies because they were told that they were. Awful things happen during war. There is destruction and death, civilians and soldiers. But in the chaos there can still shine a bit of compassion that reassures us that there is faith to be had still. And here is the story of two men whose paths crossed as enemies and they became allies and a symbol of forgiveness that I for one needs to know exists in and out of the times of war.

So It Goes - Hollerado

credit where credit is due:

http://www.canadaatwar.ca/

http://members.shaw.ca/kcic1/peacekeepers2.html

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/banners-in-n-b-town-honour-local-veterans-1.1535131

http://now.msn.com/bodies-drawn-on-normandy-beach-to-commemorate-d-day-deaths-on-international-peace-day

Hearts are Buried in the Cold But the Souls Live On in Our Memories

Ghosts That We Knew - Mumford and Sons

REMEMBRANCE DAY 2012

How often do you think about freedom? Your freedom? It is a time to recall the sacrifices that were made on our behalf so that we may live in a free and just world. When I think about Veterans I often think of grandfathers and old men, the Veterans of the two Great Wars - already, I need to be reminded of not only the women but all the other conflicts past and present. Fact is that there are no longer any Veterans alive from the first World War and Canada has been remembering the anniversary of the War of 1812. Long past should not equal long forgotten. Why even the commentators on the special newscasts this morning but heavy emphasis on the men who served in World War I, the Korean War and Afghanistan. But in the crowd of Veterans, I saw many women, and Canada has sent members of the military to places beyond the middle East. On Remembrance Day we should not forget anyone who selfishly sacrifices. 

It has been said that "You don't remember the bad, only the good". I am not sure how true this is - based on personal experience I can attest that some events are so traumatic that they are forever burned in your memory and form the basis of your psyche. Seeing the look on the face of many of the assembled Veterans, I would suggest that many of them would agree with me. The "horrors of war" is not just a phrase contrived from marketing executives, we can only imagine what the bad is and how horrible it was for them. My grandfather was a citizen of Italy during the second World War and rarely spoke of his experiences and never in a great amount of detail. He didn't serve, though I don't know why, I do know that he was forcible taken away from his home and family to a prison camp. The only other thing he shared was looking up to the sky when it suddenly darkened with the cover of hundreds of planes flying in formation. With this limited first hand experience of human conflict, I never quite understood why I was deeply affected during Remembrance Day services. Many times I have had to remove myself to the back of the throng of people so as to not disturb their own reflections with my uncontrollable emotions. It hurts to hear the stories, see the faces and ponder the sorrow. I feel the pain. 

My reaction is nothing to what was sacrificed on behalf of myself and the rest of Canada and the World. Lest we forget that although we are remembering the Veterans of Canada on this day, there are Veterans on the side of peace and goodness all over the world. I will take a perhaps unpopular stand and voice my opinion on the countries that use their military to exert power and control over weaker and less fortified countries. Taking a well-known figure of the past who engaged in this type of behaviour to illustrate my position that this is nothing more than bullying on a national scale. Hitler. Hitler used his power to stomp on the weaker countries around him. We had to stand up to the bully. But there are some conflicts that are perceived as unpopular. The Vietnam conflict comes to mind as one such event. My point is that maybe their is a better way to make a point than raising a gun and aiming it at our fellow humans. Okay, I don't agree with the concept of war. 

Can anyone identify the soundtrack?

This is very difficult for me because it wages a war (pardon the pun) of consciousness within myself. My empathy for Veterans and those who have suffered from war runs deep and hot. On the other hand I am opposed to the very concept of conflict. This very much parallels my life whereby I have allowed the bully to tread upon me and internally hope that their actions will be their own un-doing. I have not fought to save my own soul. But I have given the verbal tools to others who have had the need to fight the oppressor.  

Put the evil doer in a steel box with one bullet fired, ricocheting around and piercing the one at will, leaving a scar as a reminder for each misdeed. 

REMEMBERING TODAY AND TOMORROW

There is talk in the media once again about making Remembrance Day a National Holiday. While I can see that this is a cause that should be commemorated in such a grand fashion I fail to see that this action will promote the cause. As it is right now, many municipalities seem to be transforming many current statutory holidays as just another day to shop and not work (unless you work in the retail sector of course). It points a finger of cause to the multiculturalism that has permeated this country. Rather than assimilate to the greatness that the country of Canada became in no small part due to the efforts of not only our Veterans but ancestors as well, it seems to no longer be good enough. Merry Christmas has given way to Happy Holidays. God has left the consciousness of society in favour of other beliefs. It is a big country and there should be enough room for all. But like a bully, my beliefs are being trod upon by the others who happen not to believe like I do. Yes, even our Veterans who made the country one that foreigners aspire to come to are being cast aside. To be fair, I don't know why the parents of some students are requesting that their children not be a part of Remembrance Day services in the schools, but frankly I don't care. If you live in Canada by choice (and if you don't I'll personally guide you to the nearest border so you can leave) than the respect of Veterans and the history of this country are mandatory. There have been times when as I stated I have been too emotional to fully participate in services but not once has my respect or admiration waned. 

The effort that is put into commemorating Remembrance Day within the school system is dismal at the best of times. This year because on an on-going labour dispute between teachers and the provincial government, one school opted to observe the sacrifice of Veterans with in-class announcement rather than an assembly. While this made the local newscast, I have an update for you. I worked within the school system for many years and it is my experience that this practice is norm not the exception. It takes time and effort for teachers to organize a full school assembly and no-one wants to bother. There are more professional accolades and perks to be had by spending one's time coaching an athletic team. Additionally, most schools don't even have the facilities to house an entire student body in one assembly. When I was a student, Remembrance Day was a day off of school. And without exception, we attended a service at the cenotaph. It wasn't a day off to "hang out" or shop. It was a day to Remember. We also had school related activities and assignments. It mattered and we knew it. 

Maybe the passage of time has weakened our memories and those with the stories to tell us are going the way of the wind. More than 160 Canadians have died in Afghanistan in 10 years which pales in comparison to the 1 in 10 that didn't return from duty during World War I or the 45,000 dead in the 6 years of World War II. But still they were someone's father, mother, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, grandmother, grandfather...family. We all need to mourn the loss - great or small. 

IT'S ALL ABOUT RESPECT

Every year you hear more and more about the theft of the poppy boxes that appear on the counter of retail establishment to remind us to wear the poppy with pride while we support the welfare of the Canadian Veterans. And it was no different this year with several thefts making the news. To the credit of security cameras, alert citizens and law enforcement efforts, some culprits were caught with a backpack full of poppies and $300. Pathetic that someone can stoop so low. I'd like to "pin" a poppy on them...my way! 

After the War - Paul Gross (from Passchendaele)

The wearing of the poppy is one of my personal pet peeves. Over the years I have stepped out of my personal comfort zone to correct many people. Tradition holds that the poppy is to be worn on the left side. Close to the heart. And following the services held at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month, it is removed and left as a tribute to the fallen at the cenotaph. In Ottawa, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is covered with a sea of red from the poppies left behind. Officially the Remembrance Period goes from the last Friday in October to the 11th day of November. 

Consumerism is invading the sanctity of Remembrance Day as well. Gone is the collective respect for the sacrifices made. No sooner are the Hallowe'en costumes washed and packed away then the Christmas trappings come out and the cherry "shop til you drop" music sings over the PA system in the stores. This year, Shoppers Drug Mart got a public slap in the face when they were forced by consumer outrage and complaints to shut off Yuletide Tidings until at least the observance of Remembrance Day was complete. A sage move and I applaud all of those who took a stand to remember. I recognize that retailers must take advantage of the spending frenzy of the Christmas season to stay afloat financially but please don't forget the reason you have the privileges you have as a Canadian. Thank you! 

LEST WE FORGET THE HEARTS THAT ARE BURIED IN THE COLD DARK EARTH. MAY THEIR SOULS LIVE ON IN OUR MEMORIES FOREVER!

Remembering the Horror 10 Years Later

 PEACE ON EARTH -U2
This song was played frequently after the disasters of 9-11. It was as appropriate then as it is today.




There are a few moments in one's life that are so profound and incredulous that we can't help but have certain images forever ingrained in our memories. I have a few more than the average person but we all have personal ones as well as the ones we share with humanity.


It is the media who tells us and reminds us that we will forever remember where we were when we heard about or saw:
- John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassination in Dallas
- The first lunar landing and steps on the moon and hearing those infamous words "One Small Step..."
- The Challenger exploding moments after take off
- Hearing that Elvis, John Lennon, Michael Jackson died (I think you have to be a fan for that one)
- and of course 9/11


It is something I wouldn't mind forgetting actually. The terror of the actions targeting so many innocent people touched me in ways nothing else ever has. If it could happen there it could happen anywhere :( It was harder because it was a work day and all I wanted was to be with my children...to hold them....to say I love you. I went out for lunch and every radio station on the band was talking and speculating. Nobody really had any answers or explanations, nobody could offer assurance that there wasn't more to come. Living in a large metropolis like the Toronto area, it was even more eerie because there were no planes flying back and forth in the skies. We get so used to hearing them sometimes minutes apart that we barely take notice until its' gone. Umm...that hit a nerve. Just like family and friends sometimes?


Today everyone is remembering. TV stations were offering up live coverage of commemorative ceremonies at Ground Zero. But the one thing that kept running through my mind was that just days prior there was news reports that New York City had recieved credible threats to security to take place on the 10th anniversary. And then I saw a comment by one New Yorker who said he had been interviewed by a news station and asked if he would ever feel safe. His response (which was unluckily to be aired) was that he would feel safer if the media would stop giving the terrorists the attention that they want and to stop telling people that they should be afraid. How profound! The media does do a very good job of working people up into a frenzy of fear. Near celebrities are made of the scum that seeks to harm. Just off the top of my head...Mark David Chapman, Timothy McVeigh, The Pig Farmer, Paul Bernardo. But can you recall the names of the victims as quickly as you recall the crimes perpetrated?


And the point is this. Each year of September 11 the names of those killed in these cowardly acts is read out for all to hear. I don't have a problem with that, but what of all the similarly innocent servicemen and woman who were killed in the ensuing pissing contest that occurred.  Consider please that 52 Canadians died in the terror attacks, but at least 152 died overseas. Although the 1:3 ratio may not be the same for our American neighbours, I would suggest that the death toll in combat missions is higher than that of 9/11. And this is the part that I find disturbing. Where the lives of those who offered to put their lives on the line in the protection of other of lesser value?


Back in my younger years, we remembered the fallen soldier and the injured soldiers with solemn reverence and deep national pride. In Thunder Bay, where I grew up, Remembrance Day on November 11 was often quite chilly. We just bundled up warmly because we knew it was our duty to stand there in the blistering cold wind and say privately and publicly "Thank you for giving me freedom." This country, Canada, that we called home was a great place we didn't want to make it into our old country...it was great the way it was. But I digress...that is fodder for a blog another day :)


I don't want the ceremonies dedicated to September 11 to stop or change (unless there is talk once again of not allowing Emergency Service Personnel to attend in favour of the bags of wind called politicians). What I want is that we do more not to forget the many who die just as needlessly in countries far from the shores of Canada.