Why Remember?

Why Remember?


Remembrance Day is Friday 11 November 2011.

Throughout the year debates rage as to the validity of military action around the world, and Canada’s involvement in these conflicts.

Many, perhaps even most people recognize the futility of war. So why does it continue?

It continues because inequities still exist; because there are those who want what others have; because those who have what others want try to keep it to themselves; because others will stand up to defend those who re unable to defend themselves.

Certainly the world would be a better place if there were no war, no conflict. I would love to see that happen in my lifetime, but I am not all that hopeful.

Like a school yard bully that harasses other children, demanding their lunch money and expelling them from the favourite spots in the playground, there are dictators who bully their own people into submission, then seek to expand their influence beyond their own borders.

The recent wave of revolutionary demonstrations in Africa, which have come to be known as “Arab Spring,” have shown that people have become dissatisfied living under tyranny, and are beginning to stand up against the dictators that have ruled their lives, in some cases for over forty years.

But how does this affect us?

This question harkens back to the opening chapters of the Bible, specifically Genesis 4, verse 9, where Cain asks God, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

In this instance, Cain had murdered his brother in a fit of jealousy, but when God inquired of him as to Abel’s whereabouts, he refuted any responsibility for his brother’s well-being.

The simple fact is that, whether or not one believes this particular story, or even whether or not one believes in the Bible, in general, we do have a responsibility towards our brothers – our neighbours and fellow beings.

Countries like Canada, Great Britain and the United States, and our other western allies have things pretty good, despite the assertions and accusations of the “Occupy” movement.

Yes, economically there is a great deal of instability.

I believe this is due, in no small part, to the failure of governments to stand up to special interest groups. As demands for additional services have increased, as countries have provided more social assistance to their citizens, the economic demands – read that, increased taxation – have created a heavy burden to be shared by all.

But where does a country draw the line, deciding who receives services and benefits and who does not?

A lack of political will, coupled with a desire to please as many voters as possible, as led many countries – ours included – to provide a plethora of social benefits to their citizens.

This in and of itself is not a bad thing. What has resulted, however, is a sense of entitlement, where even those who do not need a certain benefit demand it because others are receiving it.

So, in our effort to care for our brother we have, like Cain, become jealous.

So, too, with countries. The “haves” look down at the “have-nots,” deeming them unworthy.

Meanwhile, the “have-nots” first become jealous of the “haves,” then begin to resent them, and finally despise them for their greed and decadence.

One small country seeks to invade its neighbour, to take what it considers to be its share of the wealth the other is hoarding.

And so it begins… and grows.

Many argue that the two World Wars were justified, because of the threat to world peace. They also argue that such has not been the case since; that the various conflicts around the world have not been a threat to world peace, but are simply squabbles between neighbours.

Others would argue that those squabbles have not become larger conflicts because of the intervention of others – ie: NATO, the UN, and the western allies.
Whatever the case, it is not conflict and war which is celebrated on Remembrance Day.

On this day, the anniversary of the ending of each of the two World Wars, we remember those who gave their lives in those wars, and in other conflicts since, who fought to bring peace and stability to the world.

It is somewhat of a paradox, to “fight for peace.”

But the schoolyard bully will continue harassing the other children unless and until someone stands up to him (or her). Often that means “speaking their language,” that is, giving them a taste of their own medicine. It’s surprising how many bullies can be stopped with just one shot to the chin.

Quite often, bullies are actually afraid of those whom they bully; their overt aggressiveness is an attempt to bully the others into submission, and thereby make themselves appear more dominant than they really feel.

Similarly with dictators, who employ bluster and rhetoric to maintain the appearance of strength, when all along they fear an uprising from their citizenry, and from within their own military.

A show of force and, sometimes, outright warfare often become unavoidable when neither side is willing to back down.

There are those who contend that, whatever the purpose of armed conflict around the world, we are not in any danger here in our own land. The September 2001 attacks aside – these they consider an aberration – there has been no credible threat to North America since Pearl Harbour. (For that matter, Pearl Harbour, being some 1500 miles west of the mainland, was only a “credible threat” because the collective American ego refused to consider that any country would dare attack it or its protectorates.)

It may well be that we are safe from attack, or relatively so, here in North America. Still, we enjoy that freedom because we have demonstrated, time and again, that we will nt be bullied. We have also demonstrated a willingness to defend our friends and neighbours from bullying.

Having done so, we enjoy a host of rights and freedoms here in Canada – indeed, in most of the western world – that few others can begin to appreciate.

Or maybe that’s not accurate. Maybe it is us who do not appreciate these hard-won freedoms?

Ask the people in Libya and Algeria, and the other “Arab Spring” countries how they feel about the freedoms we enjoy. Ask them what they were and continue to be willing to do in order to gain the freedoms.

Here, the “Occupy” protesters decry the “one-percenters” for being rich. They demand their “right” to protest – to set-up shantytowns on public property.

Ask the people in the Horn of Africa how long they plan on “occupying” their own shantytowns?

The G-20 protesters in Toronto cried “foul!” when the Toronto Police used tear gas and rubber bullets in an attempt to get them to disperse.

Ask the Libyan protesters how they felt about the Libyan Army firing live ammunition at them, killing hundreds of protesters, but not dissuading the others from pressing on.

We have these freedoms because brave men and women stood up with their comrades and fought against tyranny and oppression.

Why remember?

We remember out of respect, and in gratitude for the many freedoms we enjoy.



But… that’s just my opinion.