Seeing as it's Remembrance day, I thought I might post something in honour of the vets. Not that I support war in any way. I'm quoting Muriel Duckworth as she says for the millionth time: War is stupid! And THAT is where the title comes in. In my opinion, war is stupid, but I'm still honouring the veterins by wearing a poppy :)
I think the two world wars we had were terrible, as does everyone else probably. Although I am pacifist, I'm glad Canada joined that war. Germany was...insane, does that fit? The Canadian military was needed to stop it. All the men, younger and older, cared enough about, not just our country, but the rest of the world. I don't like that they were forced to, but I respect the men who fought. Any life that ends, at or before their time, deserves respect. Of course, I also respect the men that DIDN'T fight. My great-grampa, for example, who managed to escape being drafted into the war by hiding inside a hole under the kitchen table when the soldiers came, but that's another story. Those people who knew they didn't belong in the war and managed to remain with their families also have my total respect.
War is the worst thing on earth. One of the few things I hate. I hate it! I hate it! I HATE IT! This is where the controversy comes in, in this thing :P In Canada, we have 'peacekeepers', 'peacemakers', and 'peace enforcers'. I'm pretty sure the way they work is that the peacekeepers help two nations work out their problems BEFORE they go into war, peacemakers place themselves into warring sides to prevent attack, and the peace enforcers 'enforce' peace. That's all good...in theory! The problems are (a) the 'peace enforcers' part of the three, and (b) what these groups ACTUALLY do. You can't 'enforce' peace, just like you can't fight for peace. When someone is attacking someone else, that is not peace at all! It's a completely hypocritical situation: you can't go up to get down and you can't fight for peace. It just doesn't work that way! If someone has another opinion on what these 'peace enforcers' actually do, pleeeaaaase tell me. But really, how many different ways can you interpret 'peace enforcers' without involving physical violence?
Okay, when I say what these peace people actually do, I don't think I'm really putting that right. I think it might just be only the peace enforcers, and maybe the peacemakers to. They don't fight; they only keep the peace that's already present, and prevent the war from starting. The peacemakers I'm not too sure about. You can't really 'make' another nation peaceful. You can give them advice, try to help them see from the eyes of the other nation, persuade them this way and that, but it's all verbal, much like a person. I guess peacemaking is OKAY, because they're not really attacking anyone, and they don't fight all the time, but they ARE armed. Peace enforcers, on the other hand, no. That's like running someone else's country because you think you're better than them or something, AND you're attacking them. No. Not right.
Another thing is that the peace enforcers don't always fight on behalf of the lesser nation, or really attempt 'peace'. It's like Canada's role in, what was it, Afganistan? Iraq? Both? We ended up helping the US more than we did the other country, or for peace. How does a country with an army like ours plan to stop a country with an army like the US' from attacking? We can't. So what do we do? Apparently we go and make a big mess and shoot a bunch of innocent people. And then we hear about all those 'poor Canadian soldier deaths' on the radio. Don't get me wrong, it's not a good thing they died and they should be properly mourned, which they likey are, but what about all the Afgans or Iraqis that perished? Do we consider the deaths that person might have caused? We don't hear those on the radio. Did you know that those whom we call terrorists, in many homelands they're considered 'freedom fighters? And likely the other way around as well. When our 'peace enforcers' storm into some country shooting up a storm [you know, making peace and everything :P], why shouldn't the people consider them terrorists? Our military are terrorists. All militaries are terrorists. When someone from another nation attacks us, they're considered 'terrorists', right? Why shouldn't it work the other way around?
The two World Wars, I think, helped us realize the effects of war, and it helped create the UN. The UN helps nations communicate with eachother so much easilier. It connects all the countries with the common good. [When the US goes in and makes without the UN's permission however, is a complete other story. And how they managed to STAY in the security council of the UN even after that I would really like to know!]. But the UN is great. Once all the countries decide to join, it will be even better. Maybe even authoritarian governments will become more democratic and developing will become developed. THIS can be acheived with the UN, I believe, and, dear United States republicans, I hope you're reading.
The US has so much power over the world. I mean really. How can such a powerful nation be so blind? How can such a tv station like FOX News even air without being shut down from being so wrong? Not the people. I'm sure most Americans are wonderful people. The one's that I know are perfectly nice people. Then again, all the one's I know vote democrat, and I've not yet talked to a republican, althouth somehow they keep holding office. If there's any republicans out there, let's chat?
So there you have it. My opinion on war. Well not really just war. My opinion on war can be put in three words: "War is stupid", once again quoting dear Muriel Duckworth. This whole thing was more like my opinion on Canadian involvement in wars, and a little bit of the US.
So NOW you can judge for yourself. Was this fitting for Remembrance Day or completely and totally inappropiate? I hope the veterans aren't mad. We met a couple yesterday after the Remembrance Day assembly at school, and they were so sweet! :) I love old people! You can't even describe them. There's something about them that just makes you love them, and veterans tend to be more... real? Maybe because they've lived through so much, have felt so much, and that's taught them what to be proud of and thankful for. They might be the only ones who truly know what it's like to love what you have, because they so easily could have lost it. I have so much respect for them.
There. That's more fitting for Remembrance Day :)Adios!
Quoting Rachel McQuail: is wearing a white poppy today in remembrance of all those who've suffered and are currently suffering as a result of wars and as a prayer that one day we will invest as much in preventing wars as we now do in in fighting them so that this suffering can end.
