OPINION: Misguided opinion

I take great issue with the timing of J.R. Shermack’s opinion.

Is the point of his opinion to cancel Remembrance Day, to not make it a stat holiday for all, or is it just him reliving his youth and ignorance of the meaning of the day?

Let me start with his paragraph of “But now might be a good time to be mindful about old cliches like Lest We Forget.”

To reduce that solemn statement to “an old cliche” not only shows his ignorance to the plight that veterans had to endure but also to the families that lost sons and daughters.

He goes on to make assumptions of what the mothers and veterans are thinking on Remembrance Day, both of which I am sure he is neither, nor has he bothered to speak to any of them.

The notion of making remembrance day a stat. holiday for all is the only wise thing he proposes.

As veterans must return to the work force not all companies give the veterans the day off to remember their fallen.

I do believe it will help him along with others who are the “benefactors of the millions of young men who died to keep us free and preserve our way of life” to really understand it all, maybe even learn to respect those who have served and their choice to answer the call of duty, not only by their government but by the millions of people around the world that can’t or don’t have the ability to stand up to the next crazy leader to take over.

Too often we hear of the politicians that send our troops off to war and how that is the standard reaction to a crisis in some far away land.

I had served in the air force for twenty years and even served on a peace keeping mission, although I am called a veteran I don’t consider myself in the same league as the true veterans for which the day of remembrance is for. My grandfather served in the First World War and every year I think of him and his sacrifice to volunteer to take up the fight. He survived the war, but should still be honoured.

In my opinion J.R. Shermack should take his freedom (that he doesn’t understand) and interview some of the victims of the last 20 years.
Those that have had to endure the lack of rights and freedoms that should be afforded to every human being.

Stop dwelling on the Vietnam war and pick up a newspaper to see what the hardship of the human race outside of our borders are. Better yet, give up his press pass and passport, move over to some of the hot spots and live what they are living.

It saddens me to think that there is still this level of ignorance around Remembrance Day.



Lorne Schaump,
Thunder?Bay