The Galloping Beaver
Excellent post Dave. What's next - a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree? (Yes, I'm older and I remember - the original song was about a felon coming home from prison but it was adapted)
The CPC is being more blatent lately, which worries me. Not one of them have actually fought in a war, yet they seem to be all too eager to commit other people's sons and daughters to Afghanistan, a country that brought the mighty red army of the USSR to it's knees, with the help of Usama bin Laden and the American CIA who trained and funded his endeavors.
How soon we forget, and I find the hubris of the current government amazing and unexplainable. Do the CPoC organizers actually think that the majority of the Canadian public are as gullible as the Bush/Rove camp think about the American public?
Wow.
This issue badly needed to be addressed by someone with your authority. Thank you so much for this.
Just the title alone...
Goddamn right Dave.
Powerful and clear. I wonder how wanker's like Stephen Taylor and Steve Janke would react to your suggestion...
Well done. Thanks for this. I was far less reasoned in my response to the Conservative PR rally.
It seems to me that the "support the troops" ploy is nothing more than political propaganda.
I may well morally support the troops - who are doing a godawful ugly job to the best of their abilities - without granting any such support to their political masters that gave the orders.
Perhaps we need to return to an era where our leaders led the troops in battle, personally. Instead of leading from behind - might make some of the more bloodthirsty types think twice when their own good health is on the line.
Grog: "Perhaps we need to return to an era where our leaders led the troops in battle..."
The Minister of National Defence (whom I have often criticized) was a soldier and I am sure would have led his troops in battle.
Mark
Ottawa
your pimply faced anti-Americanism has lead you astray.
The wearing of red as symbolic for supporting the fight for freedom is a WW2 thing . . it started in NAZI occupied Norway, spread to Denmark & Holland. People living under the yoke of German fascism would wear red as show of support and belief in freedom. others would know red wool caps for their children.
The wearing of red is very symbolic colour - our troops, acting on behalf of the the people of the world via the United Nations deserve all the respect and support we can provide as they fight our generatio's Islamofascists.
You have pointed out many other great inititives to let the troops know we believe in them, but becasue this one gets the PM to support it you go whack job on us, denegrating the great work done by some grassroots level military wives.
Hate our PM, hate Americans, hate whatever/whomever, but please grow a second brain cell when it comes to visible support for our troops.
You should be ashamed for being so narrow minded.
Jeez, Dave, "pimply faced".
This character must know you pretty well. 
You just don't get it.
Dana wrote: Jeez, Dave, "pimply faced".
Heh! Actually, they're warts.
Al wrote: You just don't get it.
Not sure whom it is you're addressing but if it's me, presume that I do indeed, "get it".
I spent the better part of four months in freezing weather on a combat mission during which I would have would have eaten penguin shit for a decent pair of insoles. Stories of women baring their breasts when the main body sailed didn't improve my morale or ease the pain in my feet.
Why does every blogger have to make this a political issue and play football with the troops' mission?
Try looking at the real and true purpose of this campaign.
The wives of these soldiers were just trying to find a simple, visible and cheap way for citizens to support soldiers serving in a combat zone. There is no hidden agenda and no political purpose to this campaign. They realised that many Canadians also wanted a means to show their support. By borrowing the concept of wearing red from our neighbours to the south, it provided the means; and incidently, the colour red also 'hit' on our national flag color.
Many ordinary citzens and veterans want to show the troops that we; at home in Canada; who are safe in our homes without any threat to our personal safety understand and appreciate the danger they are in and the sacrifice they making on our behalf. Its got nothing do do with our politics... why don't stick your personal political leanings in your duffle bag and show your support for troops - any reasonable and intelligent Canadian realizes that doesn't mean you support the government in power.
I suppose I could accept that except, any rally held on Parliament Hill IS political.
Had the whole process remained clear of politics, which it didn't, I probably wouldn't have cared less.
I actually support the Afghanistan mission; I'm just not 100 percent behind the methods, nor do I appreciate the comments of the likes of Harper and his flying monkeys when they view the mission as giving Canada a position with some dubious regimes. That's blood for prestige.
The rally gave Harper traction and, given his pronouncements on what Canada is accomplishing, which has little to do with improving the lot of Afghanis, it is and was political.
Another thing...
Up the Ottawa valley where many of the soldiers and families are basedthere was another Red Friday battle.
Some employees at the local Tim Horton's on the base wanted to wear Red. Timmy's management said nope.
People got angry. CHUM (CFRA) who I used to work for as a news anchor, ran the story up the wall and back down until Timmy's said yes.
I support the troops. Just like Stephen Harper says, I honour those who fall every year on Nov. 11th but what if I worked at that Tim's and I DIDN'T want to wear on a Friday?
I'd be publicly humiliated.
WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WEAR A COLOUR ON A FRIDAY TO INDICATE WE ARE PRAYING THAT OUR SOLDIERS COME HOME SAFE! It should go without saying or proving this.
The onus should be on the people who don't want our soldiers to come home safe (surely there are none) to come out from hiding, wear some colour or some pin or something and face the shame and public humiliation.
It seems that too many assume it's all a large "ploy" yet Harper did nothing then his national duty, and supported his, and our troops. No one is forcing you to wear red, however if the only reason you're not is because you don't like Harper, then perhaps you should decide what is more important to you. Breaking out of the "silent majority" that we Canadians supporting our troops live in or being anti-harper by /not/ supporting our troops.
Nice try, Jennifer.
Read the whole fucking post. Then come back and tell me wearing red is supporting anybody.
You couldn't walk 100 yards in my old boots.
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