Sometimes words aren’t enough… but Shawn does such a wonderful job of conveying the message that many feel. So, instead of taking my normal route for November 11th, I leave you with a simple video and a set of lyrics to accompany it. The video says more than I ever could anyway.
It only takes two minutes to think about the sacrifice others have given, and are giving right now, for you to be here. Tomorrow at 11 AM, give that time.
Some people say, I’m a fighter
Some people hate what I do
I stand for my country
I stand for you
I got a family that loves me
They respect what I do
Try telling your child you’re leaving
Believe me it’s a hard thing to do
So, If I die don’t judge me
Cause, I will not judge you
And If I die, please accept it
Cause, I would die for you
We have our reasons
Rules, morals and beliefs
I won’t slander your opinion
I’m just searching for peace
So, If I die don’t judge me
Cause, I will not judge you
And If I die, please accept it
Cause, I would die for you
So, I was going to do my annual post last night, but could not seem to concentrate enough to get it done.
Here it is.
Remembrance Day. What does it mean? In simple terms, it’s the chance to say thank you to all those who have helped to make this Country, and even the entire World, a little safer. Many thousands of Canadians have given their lives, just to make sure that we have the right to spend one minute out of our entire year just to say “thank you for your sacrifice”. One little minute doesn’t seem like much, when you compare it to the number of people you are honouring with it, does it? I didn’t think so… unfortunately, a customer I had today didn’t think the same thing.
As the planes flew over head, circling from one Royal Canadian Legion to the next, trying to be near them all when that moment came, I was with a customer at work. Yes, our store does not close for Remembrance Day, even if some of us truly wanted to attend the ceremony at our local Legion. Anyway, 11 AM came around, the radio fell silent, and I shut off my forklift and sat in silence. Less than half a minute later, the customer is asking me why I have stopped. I pointed out that it is 11 o’clock on Remembrance Day, and I am giving my moment of silence. This customer actually scoffed at me. Mind you, he did let me finish the moment… but to even interrupt it, when it’s obvious what I am doing (the same thing as tens of thousands across our Country) was insulting to me. I won’t bother to highlight his apparent nationality, due to the risk of being accused of racial profiling… but just the same, I was deeply disturbed by this brief encounter.
Perhaps it was just a case of bad timing, or maybe he was not aware of what time it actually was… maybe I have taken for granted the knowledge and respect I was raised with. Or maybe this customer just thought that his time is worth more than THEIRS was.
To those who serve, have served, or have family or friends who do or have ever served… thank you.
For our King and our country and the promise of glory
We came from Kingston and Brighton to fight on the front line
Just lads from the farms and boys from the cities
Not meant to be soldiers we lay in the trenches
We’d face the fighting with a smile – or so we said
If only we had known what danger lay ahead
The sky turned to grey as we went into battle
On the fields of Europe young men were falling
I’ll be back for you someday – it won’t be long
If I can just hold on ’til this bloody war is over
The guns will be silent
On Remembrance Day
There’ll be no more fighting
On Remembrance Day
By October* of ’18 Cambrai had fallen
Soon the war would be over and we’d be returnin’
Don’t forget me while I’m gone far away
Well it won’t be long ’til I’m back there in your arms again
The guns will be silent
On Remembrance Day
There’ll be no more fighting
On Remembrance Day
One day soon – I don’t know when
You know we’ll all be free and the bells of peace will ring again
The time will come for you and me
We’ll be goin’ home when this bloody war is ended
The guns will be silent
On Remembrance Day
We’ll all say a prayer
On Remembrance Day
On Remembrance Day – say a little prayer
On Remembrance Day
Well the guns will be silent
There’ll be no more fighting
Oh we’ll lay down our weapons
On Remembrance Day
Tomorrow is Rememberance Day. A few years back, when I was still in High School, one of my brilliant teachers asked the class a question… what does Rememberance Day mean to them. Many in the class, I am sure, viewed it as nothing more than a holiday… a 3 day weekend, a chance to party it up, or a day to not worry about homework. See, when I was in High School, there were no major Military actions taking place involving Canadian Soldiers, so it was hard to wrap your mind around the idea of people from YOUR country dying for someone else. I had missed all the other major wars, and the Gulf War was just far enough away that it had slipped our minds, being replaced by the White Bronco chase in California and murder aquittals. We were largely untouched by the idea of people from “home” drying overseas to assure others were given the chance to live in a way that we had largely taken for granted.
Then 9/11 happened. I had been out of school for some time by this point, but living in the States at that time, it hit close to home. Schools were locked down (including the small-town school my then-step-son was attending), all planes were forced to land, and military was mobilized. People had died. Lots of people. Every News channel, every website, every conversation centered aorund this act, and the idea that we were going to War. Canada, my home Country, was one of the first to reach out to the States with an offer of aide (something a lot of Americans have since forgotten). Soldiers from my home Country were now at War, fighting for a Country that was not even their own. And more, Soldiers from my home Country were dying for that War. Selfless acts of sacrifice in the name of Freedom and again, the way of life we had taken for granted.
Between September 11 2001 and September 25 2007, 72 Canadians have lost their lives (LINK). These were not simply unnamed faces… these were someone’s son, or daughter, or neice or nephew, or grandson or granddaughter, or mother or father. All people who stood up and stepped forward to defend freedom, and ultimately gave their lives for it. How do we honour them? How do we now, today, stand here and say thank you to those people who can no longer be here with us? We take a day, and dedicate it to their lives and their sacrifice. We think of them, we carry their courage and their memory and their sacrifice with us, and we make sure that what they gave was not in vain. And we make sure that every generation knows what November 11th really means. It’s not a day from school, nor a day from work. It’s a day to say “Thank You”.
If that same teacher were to now ask me the same question I was asked then, my answer would likely be much different. I only wish it did not take the deaths of all those men and women for me to stop viewing the day through selfish eyes, and to understand what it really meant.
Rememberance.
To everyone who is in the Military, or has been, or knows someone who is and stands by them even in the darkest of moments. Thank you.
Tribute to Canadian Soldiers
Canadian Forces Tribute Played at Military Night
Produced: Steve Godkin, Manitoba Moose
March 10, 2007
Winnipeg,Manitoba,Canada
MTS Centre
Moose vs. Iowa Stars
AHL Hockey
Parent Club; Vancouver Canucks
November 11th marks a special day. A day of honour and sacrifice made by those who came before us, and many of whom left us long before they were meant to.
Known as “Remembrance Day” in Canada, and “Veterans Day” in the United States, the meaning is the same. To remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice to assure our freedoms and, in essence, our very way of life that many now take for granted.
Do I support the war? No. There is nothing I would want to see more than our Nations sons and daughters brought home before they too loose their lives. But will I stand and honour them for their choices and their actions? Yes. An amazing artist (who has already made appearances here) wrote an astounding piece called “Soldier” as a tribute to these people, and has made it available for free to anyone who wishes to listen, watch, or use it.
I urge all readers (all what… two or three of you, counting the google bawts) to please take a few minutes to visit This Site and show your support for our armed forces all over the World, both active and retired. You can download the song and video at This Webpage… or you could just watch it down below.
Please do me a favour. On November 11th, at 11 AM, please take a moment to think of the sacrifices that were made so that you could even take that moment. It won’t kill you.
Take care, everyone.
Some people say, I’m a fighter
Some people hate what I do
I stand for my country
I stand for you
I got a family that loves me
They respect what I do
Try telling your child you’re leaving
Believe me it’s a hard thing to do
So, If I die don’t judge me
Cause, I will not judge you
And If I die, please accept it
Cause, I will die for you
We have our reasons
Rules, morals and beliefs
I won’t slander your opinion
I’m just searching for peace
So, If I die don’t judge me
Cause, I will not judge you
And If I die, please accept it
Cause, I will die for you
As your most faithful commenter, I must make my existence known with a post. Yes, you have been keeping your fans in the dark, I daresay. Would be nice to hear from you a bit more often, but hey, I’m not one to speak, as I don’t have the motivation to even start a blog, let alone keep it going.
I think I heard the Olympics were happening in Vancouver, but I didn’t care enough about them to actually check it out. The world is full of idiots, and when a smart person sends the idiots on a mission, you get crap like this. Well, this or the crusades… I think you might be better off with protests.
Finally, congratulations on hitting 32 years of life. I think you are no longer entitled to laugh at Shadow for his age. Happy belated birthday! =)
I concur. The ELANS Awards is nothing more than another glorified Pyramid Scheme by the vampiric scoundrels Holy Carinci and Jack Weatherell . Shame on you Jack and Holy for hiding behind the Video Game Industry and working your secret deals and using the credentials of good people and companies to work your schemes. Get out of town. V is coming for you!
[...] The Elans Awards, a scam awards show founded originally by Holly Carinci and Jack Weatherell, that Vancouver was subjected to for the past 3 years, decided that it was done with Vancouver (and Canada) and moved off to San Diego. Good riddance as far as I’m (and many others are) concerned. She is more than free to take her scamshow and go home. We have dealt with Holly and her antics for some time now (much of it is available here on the site, and more yet will likely be made available soon), and the best thing that can happen to Vancouver and it’s Studios is for The Elans Awards to move as far away as possible, and never come back. The antics of the producer (and her former “partner”) have polluted the industry for years… from bounced cheques, scamming webhosts and site designers, using show funding (provided by local businesses for the purpose of actually helping pay for a show) to pay for their own vices (bikes and partying come to mind), to general lying and badmouthing of companies in the Country that have worked hard to be where they are, only to be slandered for not jumping through hoops for the producers on a whim and bottle of wine. The very idea that she has decided to move the show to another city in a different country shows that she has tapped the resources of this one dry, burning every bridge she has crossed along the way. I sympathize to all the companies that are going to get tied up in this down in the States, but I congratulate Vancouver for managing to survive the worst thing to come to the industry in our Great City. Better things are definitely coming… and none of them will have the name “The Elans” attached to them. Do I sound resentful of this farce of an awards show? You’re damn right I do. I refuse to stand and support any group or event that is only out there to rape the industry in hopes of making a quick buck off the hard work of others. To make a claim of being the elite in gaming awards shows is nothing more than a pathetic attempt to steal hard-earned money from game companies… many of which are struggling right now as it is… all so they can try to win a cheap pewter statue worth less than they had to pay out in order to be “nominated”… all the while stomping on the backs of those with talent and skill to recognize, all because they couldn’t afford to pay the entry fees (and then badmouthing those people behind their backs, calling them cheap and unprofessional). The Spike Awards takes the time to notice what the industry has to provide, and recognizes them for it yearly. Why support a second-rate awards show created by the same people who were busted for illegal trading and fined over $80,000, when you can support a real professional awards show like the one put on by Spike TV? The Spike Awards is everything that The Elans wishes it could be but fails at, as well as everything that The Elans claims to be but lies about. [...]
I hope WCG Wordwide ends up in Vancouver next year; it would be an awesome experience. Maybe I’ll even have some of that money stuff people keep talking about and be able to show up. Hopefully they can see past the ELANS, amazing they’re still up and running for another year after everything that’s happened.
Get the garage done, I bet if you put a little cupboard and a fridge in there you would only see Mike maybe once a week when one of them was empty. :p Though as I’ve been finding out, finding a place for everything isn’t nearly as easy as it sounds.
So vancouver was nixed to be a host city? You’re kidding! They really did do a lot of damage. That just pisses me off! Hopefully you guys can get their attention again soon.
