Thursday 10 November 2011

i will remember, i will honor, i will fight......

In the next days, over the radio, on the news, in the newspaper & at a Remembrance Day service (I deeply hope), we will be focused on those men and woman who gave themselves to stand for those who couldn't stand for themselves. We will be reminded of those who are still standing so that others might, to this day, know the great joy of freedom.

I don’t support war. I don’t support the idea that countries with more money and more educated people seem to suggest they are the powerhouse and have the right to take control, storming into places and communities in which they have no jurisdiction.  However, with that being said I also don’t support bullies. I don’t support those people who think they can control and oppress others and I want to fight against bullies.
There is a scene in the movie A Few Good Men. Two soldiers are on trial for the death of another soldier. The soldier who has died was trying to get off/out of the base that he was serving on. The basic summary is that the court is trying to prove that the base had something to do with the death. In the end when the verdict is read out loud, the soldiers, while not found responsible for the soldiers death are still given a sanction or discharge from the army. One of the soldiers says to the other one “I don’t understand-- what did we do wrong? I don’t understand, we didn’t nothing wrong”. The other soldier says back “Yeah we did. We were suppose to fight for those who can’t fight for themselves, we were suppose to fight for Willy”. This quote might also summarize my sentiments properly:

We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must - at that moment - become the center of the universe.”   - Elie Wisel

It’s that idea of standing in the gap. It’s the willingness to stand for someone else and to be willing to pay the price. It’s that picture I see in my mind of soldiers standing in front of those without weapons saying “before you get to them, you have to get by us”.

When I travelled Europe two summers ago, I had the very great privilege of visiting Normandy – more specifically Juno Beach where our history books tell us of the loss of many of our Canadian Soldiers, and where we also are reminded the great bravery and dedication and passion for freedom that our Canada is (should be) about.

I think a lot about our Veterans, and how I hope they know how thankful I am, not only for the freedom I have, but for the fact that they took a stand and they said they were willing to be counted. I think about our current soldiers who are going and coming from places all over this vast bouncing ball called earth and I hope they know that I support them for their willingness and bravery to stand and support and speak for those who can’t speak for themselves.  I think about those wanting to serve, those young women and men training and already willing to give and I hope with all my heart that we will see that day when we can lay down our arms and until that day comes I will honor those who fought for justice. I will honor those who continue to fight for justice, who desire to work for peace. Let us not forget that "Unselfish and noble actions are the most radiant pages in the biography of souls" - David Thomas
 

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