The NOW COQUITLAM, PORT COQUITLAM, PORT MOODY, ANMORE AND BELCARRA
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Opinion
People who boycott ceremonies on Remembrance Day are way off base
T
have entirely the wrong idea of what here are all sorts of sayings that Remembrance Day is all about. purport to deep-link our personalWe’re talking about people refusing ities to the people with whom we to go out and honour our veterans on choose to socialize. ideological grounds. (I think that’s why “You can tell a man by the company the first part of “ideological” sounds he keeps,” goes one such old saw. exactly like “idiot.”) But I’m here to tell you that birds And it’s not just a couple of distant flocking together aren’t always “of a acquaintances. When I discovered that feather.” there were such silly people within my Indeed, I was quite surprised to circle of friends, I got antsy. learn just the other day How many of the people that I have friends who I hang out with might be boycott — actually boycott equally foolish? — Remembrance Day cereSo I asked. And was surmonies. Bob Groeneveld prised. We’re not talking about No, astonished. people who prefer to go For years, in some cases, off quietly somewhere and people I thought I knew well have contemplate on their own the sacrifices considered Remembrance Day to be of people who helped to create the relaan exercise in support of the death and tively benign world that most of us are able to enjoy — in some cases an ances- destruction of war. They feel that going to a tor or a family member they never met. Remembrance Day ceremony is a demWe’re not talking about people who onstration of support for politicians are too lazy — or maybe just too overwho use the excuse of “leadership” to worked and exhausted — to get up in stay safe at home while unthinkingly time for 11 a.m. Remembrance Day ceremonies at the nearest legion branch making decisions that send young men and women — our sons and our daughor cenotaph or grave-site memorial. ters, our husbands and wives and fathHeck, we’re not even talking about ers and mothers — into harm’s way on people who would rather shoot a round their behalf. of golf than take some time to join with I hope no politicians are stupid others around them and think about enough to believe they have my support what has been gained — and especially when I watch the dwindling ranks of what has been lost — through war. Second World War veterans marching We’re talking about people who just
My View
on the cenotaph, and I try to imagine how much more solid their bodies must have been when they were children marching into war — and when I think of how the excitement in their eyes has been replaced by wisdom in the intervening years. I hope no politicians are stupid enough to believe they have my support when the roll is called — and my breath catches in my throat at the response, “They do not answer, sir!” I hope no politicians are stupid enough to believe they have my support when I stand with my head bowed on Thursday morning, thinking about all the people I’ve never met, all the men who met bullets instead of future wives, the soldiers who drowned in mud or watched the light fade from dear friends’ eyes. I hope no politicians are truly stupid enough to believe they have my support when I head back home, thinking about how lucky I am that my mother and father survived what they survived. I’m lucky in that all I have to remember on Remembrance Day are the stories of those who have had too much to remember. And I promise not to forget. Bob Groeneveld is editor of The NOW’s sister papers in Langley and Maple Ridge.
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What’s the point of bylaws if they’re not enforced? I recently attempted to walk my small breed puppy through the Coquitlam River trail. As a responsible owner, my dog was leashed and poop bags were handy. As soon as we entered the trail, my dog was jumped from behind by a rather large lab who was off-leash. The owner said To The nothing and halfheartedly called the dog back to her. As I continued our walk, we were approached by three other off-leash dogs that all ran towards us while my small pup cowered (as I did, as I don’t care to have dogs jump and circle me, especially larger ones). As we were leaving the trail, another two dogs “greeted” us and, upon seeing my dog leashed, the owner asked whether my dog got along with others. When I answered that he did, but we were not in an off-leash area, I was told in no uncertain terms that she had every right to have her dog loose and that I was the one with a problem. There were many young children walking on the trails with their parents, and I even warned one mom about to enter that
there were large dogs loose. She promptly thanked me and turned away from being able to have a lovely walk with her child as she was frightened of dogs. Why is it that because of some ignorant dog owners who feel that the dog leash bylaws are not meant to be followed, so many walkers have to either avoid the trails or walk in fear? Just who are these beautiful settings supposed to be for? During a photo shoot during grad with my daughter Editor and her friends at Lafarge Lake, four loose dogs ran to us and one jumped all over my daughter’s gown with wet, muddy paws. An “Oops. Sorry,” from the owner doesn’t really help get the mud out does it? I realize that it would be difficult for officers to actually spend a few hours sitting on the trails or at the lake, but how else do we enforce these rules? Do we have bylaws or not? I am sure I am not the only one who feels this way, yet what can we do? Seriously, what is it that I am supposed to do when I want to take advantage of a bit of sunshine and go for a walk? Brenda Hole Coquitlam
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