Canada's online magazine: Politics, entertainment, technology, media, arts, books: backofthebook.ca

Politics, tech, media, culture and more, from a Canadian point-of-view

  • Politics
  • Media
  • Culture
  • Science and Tech
  • Living
  • Arts and Books
  • Features
  • The Video
You are here: Home / Politics / I remember

I remember

11/11/2006 by backofthebook.ca Leave a Comment

Today is Remembrance Day and, for better or for worse, I remember. I did not fight in any war but I remember how my Granny suffered all her life over the loss of her brother in the trenches of the First World War. I also remember my other Grandmother telling stories of doing without her husband throughout the Second World War while he fixed engines on battleships. And stories from my father about how he fished and hunted to put food on the table during those years, and spent evenings on the roof in Calgary watching for Japanese bombers.

I spent my minute in silence at the deathbed of a dear friend who did fight in a war, World War II, who sacrificed a Cambridge education to join the British forces, lost a fiancé in the Battle of Britain, who married a man who lost his mind in German prisoner of war camps. She lies in hospital today, and slept through the minute of silence, a nap before her final rest.

I spent my minute of silence remembering what she has endured and lost, what the other veterans have endured and lost, and considering again that they have not yet received an apology. Every year on this day, I reflect on the circumstances that brought us to the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month and I never fail to wonder why no representatives of Germany or Japan have offered public contrition for their part in creating so many tragedies. I am astounded, actually.

Just as I suppose China remains astounded at Japan, and Vietnam remains astounded that Americans have the gall to visit their country as tourists. I suppose that time heals all wounds but, well, my family is still recovering from what Germany did in the last century. I did not fight in the war but I want an apology too, for enduring the legacy.

On a lighter note, some beatnik bunghole tried to sell me a white poppy on my way into the hospital this morning. Oh, good idea. Divert funding away from veterans to fund a peace organization? This is so often the problem with hippies: they are stupid.

Filed Under: Politics Tagged With: Canada, Canadian military

Subscribe to BoB by e-mail or RSS

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Google+
  • Living
  • Politics
  • Media
  • Culture
  • Arts and Books
  • Features
  • The Video
Fire sale sign

Fort McMurray: Shopping time!

By Brady Tighe We’re now officially in the aftermath phase of the northern Alberta wildfire crisis. The fire is long gone, and everyone with a home to return to is back in its … [Read More...]

Nathan Cullen

Electoral reform: Hashtag fresh thinking

By Alison@Creekside The most interesting and innovative idea to come out of the first meeting of the all-party Special Committee on Electoral Reform, or ERRE, was Nathan Cullen's suggestion, … [Read More...]

Trudeau on quantum computing

The Trudeau gush fest is getting old

By Jim Henshaw There have been several bewildered as well as angry accounts coming out of the USA lately about how little media time has been spent covering the Democratic Presidential Primary … [Read More...]

Rick Meyers in Nanaimo Pride Parade

My friend, Rick, at the Pride Parade

By Frank Moher On this dreadful day, I don't want to write about the shootings in Orlando. I want to write about my friend, Rick. Rick lives just outside of Nanaimo, a city of about 80,000, … [Read More...]

Stephen Colbert on Late Night set

Triumph of the drama nerds

By Frank Moher Two drama nerds have recently moved into high profile positions. Before I name them (or perhaps you’ve already guessed who they are; or perhaps you’d like to scroll down and look at … [Read More...]

From “Our Rape Blog”: Shooting the Moon

Originally published on Our Rape Blog, the author's account of the aftermath of a violent sexual assault. By Mary Fraughton Have you ever played Hearts? It’s a card game. For our purposes, … [Read More...]

First Nations defending Lelu Island

The video: Lelu Island: “They will come.”

From Creekside: The B.C. provincial government is trying to green light the construction of a massive LNG terminal on Lelu Island in the Skeena Estuary -- Pacific Northwest LNG, backed by Malaysian … [Read More...]

Google

Follow Us!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

RSS CBC News



Recent Posts

  • Fort McMurray: Shopping time!
  • From “Our Rape Blog”: Shooting the Moon
  • Electoral reform: Hashtag fresh thinking
  • The fish hotel
  • Hatred on an Alberta golf course
  • The video: Lelu Island: “They will come.”
  • My friend, Rick, at the Pride Parade
  • Our selective sympathy
  • The Water Bomber, The Frogman and The Great Canadian Novelist
  • Komagata Maru: The story behind the apology

Tags

9/11 Afghanistan Alberta bad behaviour books British Columbia business Canada Canadian military Canadian politics CBC celebrity computers Conservatives crime environment family film G20 Globe and Mail internet Jason Kenney journalism Justin Trudeau law Liberals Maclean's music National Post NDP newspapers oil sands online media Ontario Quebec RCMP religion sports Stephen Harper television theatre Toronto U.S. Vancouver women

Archives

The Video: Lelu Island: “They will come.”

Pages

  • About
  • Privacy

Copyright © 2023 · News Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in