Its become a Site-O Canada “tradition” to write a blurb about Remembrance Day on every November 11th. Yet, this year - for Canadians at least - this day has taken on more meaning. As one American commander said today in Iraq, “this day is no longer just for our grandfathers.” In Canada’s current mission in Afghanistan, we have lost 40 soldiers and one diplomat to death. While this is just over half of the number lost by the U.S. in Iraq during one month, for a country’s whose self-identity in the theatre of war has for long been moulded as a peace keeper, each and every loss is a shock and tragedy. While every war in some way or another involves an interest in territory, even if it be just removing territory from the enemy, this current war on terrorism has become very much an ideological war, much like WWII was against hate and death. While, in my opinion, war is one of the worst traits that sets humanity out from the rest of creation, there are those few instances where war is unavoidable and even noble, if you share its cause. While I may admit that those terrorists who are willing to sacrifice themselves willingly - plus forcing the unwillingly sacrifice hundreds of innocent men, women, children, elderly who are inevitable caught in their bursts of righteousness - for a cause they believe to be just I cannot find it anywhere in my usually ecumenical-heart to find any sympathy for their current plight. Anyone who intentionally targets innocent civilians, then tries to blame their deaths on the west, is intolerable. I do not wish to deny nor to attack the effects of western influence in the middle east - indeed, I stay silent on such topics - only to suggest that perhaps these terrorists organizations have chosen to deal with the issue in a way that’ll blemish their image for generations, and have thrown the region into conflict. I am aware that many believe that the west should just mind our own business - leave “axis of evil” as they are so ignobaly called to their own affairs. But I think the world learned a dear lesson from WWII, that you ignore the dangerous actions of a country at your own peril. The world today is not composed of a series of segregated and isolated countries. What happens in one country will invariably affect others, whether they are their territorial neighbors or on the other side of the world. And this day is for those who realize this and who answer their call to effect at least some positive change in the world. I have always been struck that during WWI and WWII there were those who would go willingly to fight in a foreign land, never to return home. But lately I have been incredibly humbled by the honour, pride, and moral fibre demonstrated by those who willingly sign up for combat duty today. I think I admire those people not only for the moral ideologies driving them, but the knowledge that if it came to it, I might not be able to answer a call so willingly, though no doubt I wouldn’t leave it unanswered. To those currently serving their country in the armed forces in a battle against what can only be described as wicked and malicious, fighting for what they and their country believe, fighting for those civilians who call for help, I salute you.

Now my attention turns to where my mind always does to on this day - those people like my grandfather. Although this day is no longer “just for them”, its because of their deeds, heroism, and accomplishments that this day of remembrance was created. It is inevitable that when an evil such as that which stormed out of Nazi Germany threatens the world a power of good will rise against it - and as Tolkien’s epic series demonstrates, no matter how wicked or immense that force may be there will always be those willing to stand against it. But despite this inevitability, the wonder that anyone at all would willingly stand in the way of danger and the daily threat of death is incredible. Movies such as Saving Private Ryan’s opening scene give people in my generation a chance to at least imagine what D-Day would have been like. When those ship’s opened up it was truly divine providence that decreed who would make it to the end of the war alive. That to me would be the essence of terror - its one thing to not see what you fear, but to see a beach cliff full of concrete and steel pointed at you is unimaginable. These are the thoughts that fill me every November 11th. While I still believe that every day should have a time of remembrance - not just for those who have died, but for what we all hold important - I believe this day is particularly important. It helps reminds us what we believe, why we fight for it, and who has fought and died for it.

And so today, though I may still go about my daily studies, I shall have on my mind all those who have died for what they believed to be right, and for those who fight today for a better world they may not yet be able to see.

– JGM