These days it seems everyone has an opinion on the wars being fought by our brave troops. I believe this to be a good thing as I’m a big proponent of free speech and our right to voice our support or displeasure with our government.
Canadians are certainly not of one mind on the presence of our troops in Afghanistan, as shown by recent protests held across Canada on the heels of a poll that showed support for the mission was actually on the rise. While I would never fault a Canadian citizen for exercising their civil right to protest the war I do believe there is a right and wrong way to go about doing so.
Speaking out against the government’s decision to join the war on terror is everyone’s privilege, should they decide to do so, but I think great care has to be taken in getting one’s message across while ensuring that their protests are not directed at our troops.
Last summer, while my husband was mid-deployment in Afghanistan, we met in London, England, for a little time together during his R & R. One day, as we were walking in the general area of Westminster Abbey, we noticed they were holding some sort of tribute service for veterans. The side of the street we were walking down had various older gentlemen, decked out in their dress uniforms and medals, milling around as though waiting for a ceremony of some sort to begin. Though these brave people were from a country different than mine, I still felt a sense of pride and a debt of gratitude toward these men who had given so much. Apparently not all of their fellow countrymen felt the same.
As my husband and I glanced across to the other side of the street we were met with a sight that turned our stomachs. The sidewalk was filled with protesters showing their anger at England’s participation in the current Iraqi war; bold signs with accusatory messages were clutched in their hands.
I can remember actually feeling anger towards these people as we walked by them and I wondered if they were at all aware of the irony of the situation at hand. You see these gentlemen in uniform were no doubt veterans of World War Two, a battle that took years to conclude and countless lives were lost. This was a war when the freedom of their country was under attack and these very veterans’ actions made the difference.
As we turned the corner and headed towards the Abbey I wondered if any of those protesters had thought to put down their placards, cross the street and, while looking a veteran in the eye, shake that man’s hand and say, “Thank You. Thank you for giving so much so that we can have the right to be on the other side of the street right now.” I bet the veteran would tell him, “You’re welcome.”
Yes, free speech is the cornerstone of our society and I’ll be the first to defend it. Yet I also believe we have to be mindful of what message we’re sending and who, if anyone, will be hurt by our words. Protest the war if you must but remember that it’s our war heroes, past and present, who we owe an undying debt of gratitude for the right to do so.