I think it’s a good thing that our soldiers who have given their lives should be driven along a main artery at a time when people will see them, and perhaps give their lives and deaths a thought or more.
When Ontario renamed highway 401 between Toronto and Trenton “The Highway of Heroes”, I thought that was a good and honourable thing. Let’s hope that those inconsiderate, disrespectful mentioned in the OP are few and far between.
Exactly. And being forced to wait and observe the motorcade does not make one more patriotic. You can’t compel someone to feel something.
As for calling someone names for not being as patriotic as you, didn’t we have enough of that crap back in 2003? Have we learned nothing from it?
For me it’s not RO, it is her complete and total lack of respect for the fallen soldiers.
I know you Americans don’t allow pictures of the coffins, you guys sneak your dead in under cover of darkness, your President has never shown up for a funeral, and it seems that you all have your head up your asses when it comes to the war dead.
I guess us Canadians just see things different.
Has Canada always done this? Keep in mind, in the US, we’ve lost thousands. So, a hearty fuck you to the sentiment that we care less 'cause we don’t have a universal moment. I recall during the first months of the Iraq war, the national news would list the name, show the picture of each soldier and fairly often have some story about who they were.
I was trying to keep this civil, but I can’t.
Go fuck yourself. How dare you paint CCL with the same broad brush that you used on our government. The American government may be acting shamefully with respect to the servicemembers they put in harm’s way, but virtually every American I know is nothing less than respectful toward our military, and especially to our war dead. When Master Sergeant Scott Ball was buried in my hometown, people left work for the day to pay their respects. Reminders of him are all over town.
If you want to play the outrage card, fine. But if you think you can tar every American as disrespectful, you can fuck yourself sideways with a rusted grill brush.
Bitch.
Robin
Yes we have always done this. Actually the U.S. has lost 628 military personnelin Afghanistan, we Canadians have lost 100. We are not involved in the Iraq war. I’m not saying those deaths don’t count obviously, but politically that war is the reason your government is trying it’s best to downplay the military deaths in your country.
Our Government has always had the support of the people, and when one of ours dies, it continues to be news and they are honored in a respectful way.
And so you show respect by calling her a moron?
People show respect in different ways.
[/QUOTE]
Wow. For one thing, we are not a hive mind in lockstep with Bush. His approval rating dropped to below 100% weeks ago, at least. For another, to pretend that we don’t respect our dead is just insulting. And wrong.
Because you guys are morally superior, I guess. It really sucks being an American, because we are taught fron an early age to piss on our dead.
And it continues to be news in the US and they are also honored in a respectful way here.
and again, fuck you, for your insinuation that because we don’t demonstrate things the exact same way as you, that somehow we’re less caring.
From Girly Edition, the episode where Bart is ruining Lisa’s kid’s news show with meaningless sappy “human interest” stories:
Lisa: Hmm, thank you Bart, for yet another touching “Bart’s People”. Now,
turning to…
Bart: I just think our veterans deserve a little recognition.
Lisa: That’s what Veteran’s Day is for, Bart.
Bart: But is that really enough to honor our brave soldiers?
Lisa: Eh, heh, heh…they also have Memorial Day.
Bart: Oh, Lisa, maybe you’re right, maybe you’re wrong! The important
thing is, veterans deserve a day to honor them!
Lisa: [through clenched teeth] They have two!
Bart: Well maybe they should have three. I’m Bart Simpson.
Seriously I’m with Cat Lady. How does tying up rush hour traffic help fallen soldiers, their families, or anyone else? How is crossing the street disrespectful?
I will paint CCL as a sorry ignorant moron if her posts seem to back that up.
My statement
obviously does not mean every damn American, I have a ton of American friends, I support the American troops 100%, and I will detract the “all” in my above statement and replace it with some.
Is that better? Now go take a perspective pill and chill the fuck out.
And a fuck you right back for saying the way we honor our dead is stupid. That’s kind of my point.
Are you sure that this isn’t recreational outrage? Because it sure reads that way.
Maybe my kids are stranded and need to be picked up right away. Maybe my wife just went into labor. Maybe I’m sick and need to get to an ER ASAP. Maybe I’ll get fired if I get to the office late. Hell, maybe I think that public displays of sorrow are vulgar and I’d rather pay my respects in my own way.
The thing is, everyone has a story, and you don’t know what they are. To call someone’s patriotism into question over something you don’t know anything about is not patriotism – it’s blind jingoism.
And by doing that, you’re not exalting yourself as a great patriot – you’re being a judgemental ass for the sake of it.
Where, pray tell, did I say it was stupid? You should be more careful in your judgements.
Who said that?
Meh…here’s one Torontonian who’s irritated by the whole procession but I’m also irritated by the concept of funeral processions in general.
I was in a procession just two weeks ago and the only people who should be in the procession are immediate family. Everyone else can find their own way to the cemetary…don’t worry…we won’t start without you. It’s an outdated and dangerous tradition for cities that are as large as Toronto.
certainly wasn’t the person she quoted.
Unless she quoted herself.
Jesus H. I realize you and wring are late to this thread and seem to be hoping for a pile-on, so I will let you nitpick all you like OK?
'cuse me? You made an assertion about me. T’aint a ‘nitpick’ to demand that you show me where your assertion is true. You can add “coward” to the “fuck you”.
Nobody was forced to wait.
They had the option to walk a few blocks west to take the subway at another station or turn their cars around if those 10 minutes were so incredibly precious that they couldn’t possibly wait for the motorcade to go by. It’s not like the cops drew their weapons and threatened to fire on anyone who dared to move from their corner… the only instructions were to keep the street clear until the motorcade passed through.
FWIW, I wasn’t on the corner last night to pay my respects… in fact, I was just making my way home like everyone else and just happened to get there just as the cops closed down the intersection. I just don’t think that there was anyone there who absolutely needed to cross that specific intersection immediately rather than 10 mins later, beyond their own needs.
I’m not talking about shutting down a road for hours while crowds of mourners clothed in sackcloth and ashes gathered to wave Canadian flags, for crying out loud. They happily shut down major downtown streets for hours (and even days) to make way for protest marches, Santa Clause and even freakin’ souvlaki fests… so really, is asking for 10 minutes of people’s time such a big deal when it’s something important?