Remember

This morning at church one of the elders brought something to the table that shocked and amazed me, and not so much in a positive light.

Today is Remembrance day, a day where we stop for a minute and just say thank you to all the men and women and really, CHILDREN who have gone to war, for peace keeping or war.  Really, "peace keeping" is misleading because how many of our "peace keeping" soldiers lose their lives... I am peaceful, I don't agree with war, I am peace keeping and I likely will not be shot anytime soon. These soldiers are at war.

I am being honest when I say I disagree with war and a lot of what it stands form.  I dont necessarily think that our country or the US or any other country should go into another person's country and condemn their way of living as not right because it isn't what WE have.  Don't get me wrong, I agree that a lot of what goes on in other countries is an abomination compared to our way of living, but it is their way of life... and somewhere I have respect for it, no matter how fucked up I may think it is....

That said, I also believe that the men and women who fight for my right to disagree with the war, I believe that they deserve a whole lot of respect for what they do.  It is like "minimum wage grunts" who do the dirty work that many find beneath them.  I won't fight in a way, but thank you to everyone who will.

So, it was hard for me today when I was at church and the elder brought to our attention the fact that our Government is taking away from the veterans of more recent wars... Now, my father fought in the Vietnam war and though he fought for the USA, not Canada, he was still a soldier.  So I started really thinking what that meant... taking away from our veterans.  I learned that the Government is offering lump sum payments to veterans who have fought in a way and come back.... now, they are putting a price on limbs, digits, bones, teeth.... and saying that a leg is worth X and an arm with fetch you Y..... which sickens me... I have bad knees... .Now, if you were to ask me how much my knees were worth TODAY, I would tell you that there isn't enough money in the world to make up for the lack of mobility, the pain I deal with every day... and this pain, it was brought on not by war, not by carrying guns and packs around in the desert or swamp.  It wasn't caused by dodging bullets and walking sometimes for miles without thought as to when you might return, and I cant give you a price that it is worth... and yet the government has decided that there is a lump sum payment for these soldiers body parts???  What kind of country do WE live in?  How dare we "show" other countries how to run their countries and yet leave the PROTECTORS of our rights out in the cold when they have served their purpose... Is YOUR life over at 45?  No, and yet if you are permanently damaged at 45 you can get a lump sum payment for your injury, and how do they determine this???

What's more, in Manitoba and Alberta, children can opt out of Rembrance Day ceremonies.... WHAT?!?!?!?!?! how is this possible?  How can you OPT out of paying RESPECT?  What religious organization would need people to OPT OUT of respecting those who were before us?  I know I am not the only person scratching their head about this... Apparently it teaches the children something that they may not understand?  We can purchase video games where the object is for our 8 year old children to shoot and destroy entire colonies and yet NOT learn about real men and women and CHILDREN who fought for our lives?  For our Freedom??  What world are we living in that this is up for discussion?  It doesn't matter what religion, what culture, what day you live in, these people fought for our freedom to practice our cultures, our religions, our lives, the way we want to....

I for one believe that if we stop respecting those who came before us, and we continue disrespecting those here with us, and begin accepting credit only to the government, that our civilization will be over... that will be the end... when we stop believing in the bigger picture.

So today, and every November 11, I will stand proudly and thank the brave persons who are and were fighting for me, because without them, I dont' know where I would be.

Thank you!