Saturday, November 17, 2007

108. Finally!

Okay, so I know that due to my very sporadic posting schedule, no one will likely notice this, but I am going to be out of commission for a while... my surgery date is finally here! Well, on Monday anyway. And I will be staying with my mother in Toronto during my convalescence, which means that when I come home from the hospital (on Thursday) I will still not be posting for about two weeks. Anyway, just thought you might all want to know.

In other news, I had a conversation with an American friend recently who had read my last post, and I was shocked to note the difference in the American way of thinking versus the Canadian way of thinking so I thought I would clarify. I very much believe in honouring those who have gone before and fought for my country, but I am not pro-war. I don't know a single Canadian who won't proudly wear a poppy in November, and who doesn't honour those who have served in our military, but on the whole, we are not a 'warring' people. That poem is one that every Canadian learns in childhood (they've even translated it into French) and I know that I was taught (I can't speak for all Canadians) that Remembrance Day was a day to not only remember the soldiers who fought and died, but to remember those who fought for my rights as a woman, my rights as a visible minority, my right to worship in the way I chose, my right to speak freely about whatever I wish... all my rights. It is a way to acknowledge the sacrifice that others have made that have impacted my life, and it is a reminder to not take those rights for granted.

Anyway, just thought I'd clarify.

Love to all!

5 Comments:

Michelle Galo said...

It's good to remember that there is a difference between honoring the dead and supporting war, much less a specific war. Thanks for posting this. Here in the US things have gotten so polarized.

Anonymous said...

hi, i know this is kind of random-and it might sound a little naive, and kinda i-live-in-a-box-ish, but i've never met someone who is gay and i was actually surprised how much u seem like me-i always thought that someone who was gay would be totally different from me!! I dont know, i just find it hard to understand people who are gay, because im not, so yeah, i was kind of wondering if you could explain to me the whole gay thing? like...did you just wake up one day and decide you wanted to be gay? why?

marauder34 said...

*rolls eyes at anonymous poster*

I'm surprised you have to explain the poem at all. Have we become that illiterate in the States? "Flanders Field" is an old poem, and (I thought) well known. I remember studying it myself in high school. I always thought it was self-evident that whatever the attitude of the poet might have been, that it's possible to respect veterans and support troops without necessarily endorsing the particular conflict, nor even the concept of war.

No news since the surgery. I assume that's just because of a lack of anything to post about, rather than problems?

Ana Jurney said...

hi. i like your blog. if its okay, i added your blog to my blogroll. thanks.

Michelle Galo said...

To Anonymous (even though it's a month later):

I think if you read JJ's archives you will find the answer to your question. Start from the beginning.

Cheers.