"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Wednesday 1 November 2017

REMEMBRANCE

Today a light armoured vehicle is scheduled to be hoisted into place immediately to the north of the
War Memorial.

Al Downie said it should be done the day after Halloween but failed to mention possibility of vandalism.


It's real.

I was over there a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to check the dais. It cost $15,000 and had been there years.

The story in 2015, indicated Queen's York Rangers would raise $17,000, the cost of the death machine.

Aurora Legion has been talking about funds for repairs since the St Kitts woman was involved in fund-raising affairs and that's seven years since.

The chair of the fundraising group published names of the members in The Auroran. Her name wasn't on the list. She had announced her involvement earlier.

The Legion is a social gathering place. It's hard to fathom why maintenance isn't factored into costs of operation.

Council conveyed the impression, the town would pay for the dais, QYR would buy the machine.

Success was hardly likely. Fund-raising is hard work. Needs many willing hands and meticulous book-keeping. I think the Legion is still trying to get it going.

I was about to write a post about the merits of spending $15,000 on a concrete platform to sit empty while concurrently applauding the vacant space. But it's not to be.

TV recently featured a story with parents of Captain Nichola Goddard still mourning their loss, as they will to the end of their lives.

Their girl was killed in one of those infernal machines. She was standing up in it when she was hit by two missiles, one from each side.

She was twenty-six years old. A beautiful, wholesome, young Canadian woman. Recently married, looking forward to coming home to start a family.

Canada is not at war. This week, the government announced withdrawal from Afghanistan----without an accompanying statement about what has been accomplished.

In Aurora, we have an exceptionally beautiful memorial, surrounded by a green and pleasant place, to honour those who did not return from the war to end all wars...World War I.

The torch is raised high... And a tree grows for every lost soul.

It's hard to see how it will be improved by the addition of a light armoured vehicle. Nothing recommends it.

There's no indication Queen's York Rangers raised the funds. There's a gap in the story as it's told.

$32,000 in total from the town.

On November 11, past Councils have stood at the Altar of Sacrifice and dramatically opened a basket to release a flock of doves as a symbol of peace.

This year, it may happen alongside a machine signifying belligerence of war and the terror, horror and grief that accompany it.

Like we are keeping our promise to the fallen.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...



Members of councils and others in the community have the sensibility of gnats, if that much.

There are many tombs to the unknown soldier around the world whose sole symbol is an eternal flame.

Anonymous said...

The names of 132 soldiers are honored at the peace park for their ultimate sacrifice. There is no honor in placing a killing machine in that park.

Anonymous said...

this piece of gutted America scrap metal is an absolute disgrace to the citizens of King, Aurora and Whitchurch and to those brave soles who's names have been etched into those splendid monuments. All because of some modern day soldier and a few pandering politicians, who haven't the foresight nor hindsight to see the error of their ways.
Since 1924 that place has been respected by all who pass by as one of the most impressive monuments of remembrance in the country so sacredly protected by all previous councils of Aurora and the founding war memorial board.One must wonder what Colonol Fred Tilston must thinking as he rests in peace knowing that the site he and his fellow vetran hero's protected so well has now been defaced so ignorantly
What a shame