Thursday, November 11, 2010

On Remembrance Day

I don't wear a poppy. I don't wear red on Fridays.

I get a lot of criticism for those two things.

I understand the point. I support our troops in that I want them to be able to come home safely to their families. I respect and appreciate everything our veterans did in the wars that proceeded my life.

I am thankful and grateful that I get to live my life in the way I choose because of their sacrifices. There is military blood in my veins.

However, I do not want anything I do or say to be misconstrued as supporting our current government's missions overseas, particularly in Afghanistan. I think our government has made a severe error in judgement and continues to do so the longer this mission continues.

Thank you, veterans. Thank you for the choices you made. I am glad you came home safely. I can't imagine the pain you've seen.

Thank you, Canadian Armed Forces, for what you do. Thank you for the choice you make. Please come home safely. I wish you painless days until you can be back with your loved ones.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

3 comments:

  1. I'm with you on that. Symbols with ambiguous meanings are tricky at best, and my feelings about Remembrance Day are more complex than what can be encapsulated in a fuzzy plastic flower. Not least because of the social pressure to be seen to be wearing one.

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  2. @Fiona Very well put. The ambiguity of the symbol is what puts me off of it in the first place, and the social pressure to wear one is very frustrating.

    @Ashley Thank you. It was a little bit stressful to put it out there.

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