February 9, 2025
Freedom is not free, never was and never will be
The living we thank. The dead we remember — individuals who risked, and often gave, all their tomorrows for our freedom today
The living we thank. The dead we remember — individuals who risked, and often gave, all their tomorrows for our freedom today.

More than 100 years after the last shots echoed across First World War battlefields and fully 75 years after the end of the Second, we still gather every Nov. 11 in the cold and damp to remember what it cost for us to live in freedom. The World Wars loom large, from the physical monuments to the date of Remembrance Day commemorating the Great War armistice. But we also recall other wars, from the Napoleonic campaigns to Korea, and backward to Salamis and forward to Afghanistan. Especially 30 years since the Berlin Wall fell we should remember those who stood firm, or ready, in smaller and sometimes frustratingly inconclusive conflicts and even defeats. Freedom is not free, never was and never will be.

As the waves roll endlessly over Juno Beach, and the snows fall, the rains come and the sun shines in Flanders, we can lose sight of the importance of these events. World War I in particular has an evil reputation, as a pointless slaughterhouse run by incompetents. But a world dominated by Wilhelmine Germany would have been very unpleasant, if not as bad as one dominated by Hitler, Mussolini and Hirohito, or Stalin and Brezhnev. On Remembrance Day, and every day, let us not forget the difficulty as well as the importance of the struggles for freedom, or that for every Juno there is a Dieppe or a Beaumont Hamel and those who died in unsuccessful and even botched battles made no less noble a sacrifice.

We must also be careful, as the years pass, not to lose sight of this history entirely, so that names like Passchendaele or Imphal start to sound like Rochester Castle or Edington, of interest only to antiquaries. It is easy to take present blessings for granted and to slight the long story of those whose ordeals in battle made or preserved those blessings. Remembrance Day in Canada is noteworthy for uncomfortable fall conditions burdensome to elderly veterans.

[…]

See Also:

(1) The Poppy: It’s not about you, it’s about them

(2) Don’t just ask veterans about the past – ask them about our future

(3) Transition to civilian careers tricky for vets

(4) ‘SHOW UP, TRY HARD’: Intangibles key for vets moving to civil sector

(5) A poppy is not enough. On Remembrance Day, let us understand history

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Don Deacon
Don Deacon
November 11, 2019 3:32 pm

Can you imagine, our idiotic leftists are demanding that Don Cherry be fired for saying that immigrants should wear poppies on this day?

WHAT IN THE HELL IS OUR COUNTRY COMING TO ??

BTDT
BTDT
November 11, 2019 3:58 pm
Reply to  Don Deacon

According to the 2016 census, the city of Toronto has a population of 2.7 million. Of this population, nearly 1.25 million are immigrants, making up 47% of the city’s population. Considering that Toronto remains one of the most popular destinations for new immigrants, it is likely that soon the immigrant population will exceed half of the total population.

So about one in every 10 Torontonians — around the Cenotaph at Old City Hall, inside the Eaton Centre, in Dundas Square and just outside the Ryerson University Campus — were donning a poppy, even though veterans are selling them within in a few steps

So about 50% of Torontonians are immigrants. But only about 10% of the population observed this date were wearing poppies this Remembrance Day? Pathetic to say the least. Indisputably a pittance given the demographics. By pointing out what should be an embarrassing truth Don Cherry is racist? GFYS Toronto.

https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/warmington-frustratingly-few-wearing-poppies

BTDT
BTDT
November 11, 2019 4:18 pm
Reply to  Don Deacon

They got their wish.

Don Cherry fired by Sportsnet over ‘you people’ rant

In a statement issued on Twitter Monday afternoon, Sportsnet said that after discussions with Cherry, it had been decided that it was “the right time” for him to go. Cherry, however, is unrepentant, telling the Toronto Sun Monday that he meant every word he said.

Go Cherry! Don’t let the bastards get you down. And he doesn’t. Same message, different recipient, GFYS Sportsnet.

https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/don-cherry-firedoin the discussion…

BTDT
BTDT
November 12, 2019 9:03 am
Reply to  BTDT

I was trying to link to the comments of Joe Warmington video on the right but for some reason cannot. Anyway, pick up on what Joe has to say. Nuff said…

https://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/don-cherry-speaks-out-on-his-firing-and-ron-maclean-1.4680203

BTDT
BTDT
November 11, 2019 3:32 pm

Short story of my faith in humanity being restored, if only temporarily. Both of my parents have passed on. Dad a Dieppe Raid (WIA) and later Sicily landings/Italian campaign survivor. My wife and I picked up my parent’s last surviving friends and drove them to the local Naval Reserve for the service this morning. The building was jam packed, standing room space and outer hallway full. Really gratifying to see. But it was what happened afterwards that impressed me almost beyond measure. The four of us stopped for lunch on the way home. My Dad’s WWII friend a RCN veteran, his warship HMCS Thunder, a mine sweeper. Among other important wartime duties Thunder swept Omaha Beach (Canada) for enemy mines prior to the ‘D’ Day landings. It then moved onto sweep Juno Beach (USA).

My Dad’s friend was wearing his Naval Reserve blazer along with his medals. Walking with a cane and showing every single one of his 96 yrs. Beginning shortly after we sat down person after person approached our table and asked permission to shake his hand as they thanked him for his service. Men and women both. After about 3 or 4 people stopped by my veteran friend (clearly humbled) smiled and leaned over to me and whispered “gee you’d think I won the war all by myself”. These impromptu thanks from strangers went on every 5 minutes or so and it came time to leave. One gentleman had identified himself as an American in town on business.

Then it was time to leave. I went ahead to get the door and when I looked back as my medal bedecked Vet friend walked towards me I could see people who were sitting at tables as he passed by reach out to shake his hand and speak a few words of gratitude. I am home now and as I sit here typing this remembering what I had just witnessed I am filled with a renewed sense of hope for our country and restoration of my fading belief in the inherent goodness of the average citizen. I feel good. What a fantastic inspiring day it has been. A day I will never forget.

BTDT
BTDT
November 11, 2019 9:57 am

From one proud Vet on this Remembrance Day. To all of my brothers in arms over the years. Not just the Canadians I had the honour to serve with but also Americans, the Brits, Dutch, West Germans (at the time), Brazilians and more I’ve forgotten in this moment. But first and foremost, the Canadians. Thankyou for your camaraderie but most of all thank you for your service. Thankyou also to the greatest generation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRaxBGuSUvw