In these times of (relative) peace, serving your country often means playing a sport for your national team. Players often talk about the honour of "playing for their country" in tones that would make it appear that they were sacrificing life and limb to do so.
It is rare that a sporting federation (with a vested interest in promoting the commercial appeal of the game) would be the one giving us some perspective.
http://www.iihf.com/nc/home-of-hockey/news/news-singleview/article/saying-no-to-your-country.html
Szymon Szemberg has drawn criticism for naming and shaming players who declined the call to represent their country at the Hockey World Championships and the lame excuses they give. He is right to do so.
Among his best observations:
"How can a player who is 22 or 25 or 27, and who was just eliminated from the playoffs be tired? Tired is a miner who works in a damp pit in Miktivka, in the Donetz Plateau in Ukraine, who never sees daylight and who provides living for a family of five in a modest two-room apartment. That is tired."
"Tired is a divorced mother with two young kids who double shifts as a nurse assistant and cleaning lady to make ends meet."
"Why is a 22-year-old Sidney Crosby tired when a 34-year-old Ryan Smyth is answering the bell for his country despite having represented Canada at the Worlds already on eight occasions?"
Professional athletes live a privileged life. They should remember that when they make such lame excuses.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Honouring those who served
Two news items have struck a chord with me today.
In Afghanistan, Colonel Geoff Parker of the Royal Canadian Regiment (my old Regiment) became the highest ranking casualty amongst Canadians who have served in Afghanistan.
In Conneticut, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is in the news over revelations that he had spoken of his time serving in Vietnam and of how painful it was to be spat at upon his return. Only problem is that he never served in Vietnam. He received 5 deferments and then joined the Marine reserves to avoid combat.
AG Blumenthal's spoken words are powerful and right on their merits. It was inexcusable that young boys who were conscripted into a war received such treatment upon their return. America has spent a long time coming to terms with how wrong that was.
Richard Blumenthal's pathetic atttempts to curry favour while campaigning in front of Veterans groups only serve to aggravate that injustice. Before this he was the overwhelming favourite to replace Senator Chris Dodd as United States Senator from Conneticut.
His military history is not that different from mine. I served as a reservist and never served in combat. The idea of falsely claiming to have served in combat dishonours those who did serve and is so offensive that Blumenthal would be lucky not to get a punch in the jaw from a veteran who did serve.
For those who see this story in partisan tones, I would ask how they would feel if it had come to light that Governor George W Bush had claimed to have served in Vietnam while campaigning for higher office. How much would your blood boil?
Col Parker attended basic training in Gagetown at the same time i did but i did not know him. A close friend of mine reported directly to him when he started his service in the Regular Forces.
These two news stories from either side of the border highlight the best and worst of our society. There are those who serve nobly and make the ultimate sacrifice and there are those who lay claim to an honour they did not earn. I will be attending Col Parker's memorial service. Richard Blumenthal will drop out of the race if he has any honour at all.
He is unfit for the office he seeks.
Prayers for Col Parker's family and his young children.
In Afghanistan, Colonel Geoff Parker of the Royal Canadian Regiment (my old Regiment) became the highest ranking casualty amongst Canadians who have served in Afghanistan.
In Conneticut, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is in the news over revelations that he had spoken of his time serving in Vietnam and of how painful it was to be spat at upon his return. Only problem is that he never served in Vietnam. He received 5 deferments and then joined the Marine reserves to avoid combat.
AG Blumenthal's spoken words are powerful and right on their merits. It was inexcusable that young boys who were conscripted into a war received such treatment upon their return. America has spent a long time coming to terms with how wrong that was.
Richard Blumenthal's pathetic atttempts to curry favour while campaigning in front of Veterans groups only serve to aggravate that injustice. Before this he was the overwhelming favourite to replace Senator Chris Dodd as United States Senator from Conneticut.
His military history is not that different from mine. I served as a reservist and never served in combat. The idea of falsely claiming to have served in combat dishonours those who did serve and is so offensive that Blumenthal would be lucky not to get a punch in the jaw from a veteran who did serve.
For those who see this story in partisan tones, I would ask how they would feel if it had come to light that Governor George W Bush had claimed to have served in Vietnam while campaigning for higher office. How much would your blood boil?
Col Parker attended basic training in Gagetown at the same time i did but i did not know him. A close friend of mine reported directly to him when he started his service in the Regular Forces.
These two news stories from either side of the border highlight the best and worst of our society. There are those who serve nobly and make the ultimate sacrifice and there are those who lay claim to an honour they did not earn. I will be attending Col Parker's memorial service. Richard Blumenthal will drop out of the race if he has any honour at all.
He is unfit for the office he seeks.
Prayers for Col Parker's family and his young children.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Times Square Bomber
The story is still unfolding but here is what we know so far.....based on news reports.
Faisal Shahzad drove an SUV that was filled with propane canisters, solid fertilizer and some firecrackers to Times Square. It appears that he meant for this to create a large explosion.
Upon being arrested he has been forthcoming (according to reports) and he has claimed that he trained in camps in West Pakistan.
It is not often that there is mirth to be found in attempted terrorist actions but some rather humourous thoughts come to mind.
1) How is it that the terror camps of Pakistan can turn out fighters that have become so adept at creating IED's that disable tanks and kill coalition soldiers can also turn out a guy who thinks that any fertilizer can be made to explode? Really a box of manure won't blow up?
2) Propane canisters could be very deadly if they exploded throwing shrapnel in all directions. However it would require more heat than some firecrackers and burning fertilizer.
3) If he really trained at a camp in Pakistan, did he flunk out?
One wonders if this person is really someone who is mentally disturbed with some visions of grandeur. If this is the quality of terrorists being churned out of Pakistan, then there wouldn't be very much to worry about.
Faisal Shahzad drove an SUV that was filled with propane canisters, solid fertilizer and some firecrackers to Times Square. It appears that he meant for this to create a large explosion.
Upon being arrested he has been forthcoming (according to reports) and he has claimed that he trained in camps in West Pakistan.
It is not often that there is mirth to be found in attempted terrorist actions but some rather humourous thoughts come to mind.
1) How is it that the terror camps of Pakistan can turn out fighters that have become so adept at creating IED's that disable tanks and kill coalition soldiers can also turn out a guy who thinks that any fertilizer can be made to explode? Really a box of manure won't blow up?
2) Propane canisters could be very deadly if they exploded throwing shrapnel in all directions. However it would require more heat than some firecrackers and burning fertilizer.
3) If he really trained at a camp in Pakistan, did he flunk out?
One wonders if this person is really someone who is mentally disturbed with some visions of grandeur. If this is the quality of terrorists being churned out of Pakistan, then there wouldn't be very much to worry about.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Wither Journalism
On August 10, 2009 the Globe and Mail published an article by Jane Taber that carried the headline "Can a busy female politician give reliable evidence? A judge says no."
The article goes on to reprint comments from many individuals slamming the judge's sexist comments. There is only one problem with this article....the judge didn't say that.
MPP Lisa McLeod was giving evidence in the influence peddling trial of Ottawa mayor Larry O'brien. In her evidence SHE claimed that she could not remember some details accurately due to her busy schedule. She impugned her own testimony and the judge properly rejected her evidence.
The Ontario Press Council upheld a ruling against the Globe for publishing an opinion piece without labelling it as an editorial piece. They were right to do so since it was clearly an expression of opinion. However they should have gone further because this article did not report the facts, it reported falsehoods and then fashioned an opinion based on untruths. It failed basic standards of decency let alone journalism.
The Globe reported the Press Council's ruling in the middle of page 8. They should have put it on the front page. This kind of shoddy reporting/editorializing will only accelerate the decline of print media. They should be ashamed of themselves.
The article goes on to reprint comments from many individuals slamming the judge's sexist comments. There is only one problem with this article....the judge didn't say that.
MPP Lisa McLeod was giving evidence in the influence peddling trial of Ottawa mayor Larry O'brien. In her evidence SHE claimed that she could not remember some details accurately due to her busy schedule. She impugned her own testimony and the judge properly rejected her evidence.
The Ontario Press Council upheld a ruling against the Globe for publishing an opinion piece without labelling it as an editorial piece. They were right to do so since it was clearly an expression of opinion. However they should have gone further because this article did not report the facts, it reported falsehoods and then fashioned an opinion based on untruths. It failed basic standards of decency let alone journalism.
The Globe reported the Press Council's ruling in the middle of page 8. They should have put it on the front page. This kind of shoddy reporting/editorializing will only accelerate the decline of print media. They should be ashamed of themselves.
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