editor's voice: Lest we forget
Aiden J. Ball, Sports Editor

Remembrance Day has always been of particular importance to me. Not only because I have relatives who fought in the World Wars, but because the day represents the highest of principles. Something as simple and true as honouring those who lost their lives in war by remembering them.

Like most Canadians I have never had to go to war, and like most Canadians neither have my parents. For the people of a country like ours, that has experienced two generations of peace and prosperity, how can we possibly understand the true horrors of war? How can we possibly understand the horrors which previous generations of ours faced in those terrible times?

Perhaps that's why it has been so easy for some of us to clamour for war in the emotionally charged aftermath of the tragedy of Sept. 11, why last Tuesday 5000 people lined the cliffs of Victoria's Dallas Road to cheer the departure of the HMCS Vancouver and its 235 person crew - Canada's latest contribution to "America's New War." The press likened the scene to a Second World war newsreel. "Ready, Aye Ready."

Our naiveté and lack of understanding of what war is has blinded many of us from being able to respond rationally to the tragedy of Sept. 11. Shamefully, some are using the example of the sacrifices made by those who fought and died in the World Wars to rally the shocked public into support for a military build up, and military conflict.

A recent front page article in the National Post by Christie Blatchford, chastised Jean Chretien for suggesting that we should be a country that gives hugs instead of making war, claiming that he was dishonouring the memory of those who are buried in "those immaculate little graveyards in Europe."

If Christie had paid closer attention on her trip to the graves of our soldiers in Europe she wouldn't be so quick to revel in their immaculate littleness. These graves are far from little. In fact they span for acres upon acres. And the most disturbing thing about them: the crosses don't have names.

Row upon row of graves of unknown soldiers. They died fighting in a war in which neither side could articulate their aims until the last year of fighting, after there had already been eight million casualties. A war which spawned fascism, Stalinism, and a second war far worse than the first.

How could anyone see anything but a tragedy in this? How could somebody be pig-headed enough to use the graves of our ancestors who died in these conflicts to promote more war?

This is why Nov. 11 is of the utmost importance today, in times like this, when it's easy to let our emotions get the best of us, and to repeat the mistakes of past generations. We should think twice before wanting war and revenge at all cost. We should remember that the word 'war' is not to be used lightly.

The date of Nov. 11 is significant because it was the day the fighting stopped. It isn't on Victory Day, or the day Vimy Ridge was captured. It isn't a day of celebration of Napoleonic victories in the field of battle. It is a day for mourning, and remembering.

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