Posted by Sebastian (From Montreal) on November 11, 2008 at 17:54:18:
Well, November 11th is coming up. At one time it was "Armistice Day" (and still is, in a few countries). In Malta and South Africa, it's "Poppy Day. "In the US it's "Veterans day". In Canada, it's "Remembrance day". But it's the same holiday....remember the war, and thank those who fought in it (and in some cases, gave their lives for it). We must not forget, because they who forget history are doomed to repeat it. In parts of the world today nationalism is rearing its ugly head. And sadly, racism is far from dead, although it should have died with Adolph Hitler. So it's important that we remember. And now I have an interesting story.
On the 5th of November last year, I was in Halifax, Nova Scotia (Eastern Canada), getting ready to return to Montreal. I decided to go to a grocery store before I boarded the train back home. Inside, I bumped into...a veteran. I could tell because he was wearing a green uniform, with all of the medals that he earned. I could also see that he lost a finger, presumably due to a battle wound (I did not enquire, though!) He spoke first, but I quickly thanked him. Why? Well...he served in World War 2 and the Korean war. Told me about his experiences, about the pain of losing one's friends to gunfire. The place we were in was next to a train station.....now just one train a day, but back when he was younger, and worked for the railway, it saw many trains, including those that transported troops to and from the harbor, and it was next to the pier for going to Europe during World War 2, and it was from there he took a train across Canada to get on the boat to Korea. There was history in the air. He told me to see his brother, who was selling poppies. I did, and thanked him, and bought two poppies...one was a sticker, which he put on my jacket. The other was the traditional "plastic with a straight pin." I seem to be cursed with always having them falling off, or being stabbed by the pin, so, I removed the pin, and stuck the poppy in my wallet, as a reminder.
If you see a veteran selling poppies (do they do that in the US?) stop to buy one, and, more importantly, say THANK YOU. Also, there were cases when some stores tried to boot the veterans. Make it known this is unacceptable, a veteran with poppies is not the same as some sleazy man in a trench coat who's selling "real" jewelry.
And also, if ever you disagree with any war that your country is fighting, DO NOT TAKE IT OUT on the soldiers/airmen/seamen/Marines, or their officers. That's so mid-70's! Always be thankful to them. Complain to their "superiors" in government.
Thanks vets,
Sebastian
PS what's so special about poppies? Why are they used? Because poppies grew in fields in Europe after so many men were killed in the fighting. Below is a poem called "In Flanders Fields."
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt da.wn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.
- John McCrae
(this poem was written after World War I)