There was a Canada Day that I spent cleaning porta potties. No, I wasn’t doing community service hours for a transgression but it was part of a summer job. And I was happy to have it. Cleaning the evidence of a day thoroughly enjoyed by all in drink, food and apparently nervous digestive systems, I must admit I can stomach that much better than the current discussions of Canada Day today. I think there was actually less shit there than I can smell drifting from the national newspapers and offices in Ottawa.
We are living in a sad time, no doubt. New discoveries that aren’t actually very new to those who have more than glanced at the history books, targeted evil acts of violence, all seem to be battling for top headlines in a world shrouded by a pandemic and all the death and devastation and discord that breeds. It is not a race in which one cheers. It is not a competition in which one wants to wave a flag. I will, though, wave a flag for Canada and all those people fighting the good fight.
What is it we actually stand for? Is there nowhere in the history books of a win? Did anyone prior to our morally elitist selves ever utter an honest and respectful word? It may be true people did not have the vocabulary approved by those who stand guard over a moving and irrational verbal target. Has no one looked up the word anachronism? It exists and is playing havoc with not perhaps our minds but definitely our heartstrings. Surely, all who came before us even though they did not know the terms “our truths” and “our authentic selves” but surely someone back there in the abyss we gleefully tarnish has done a good deed or dare I suggest even two? Someone who might even have been ….privileged? I whispered the last word.
Issues have become commodities. Bought and sold, backed by advertisers, and susceptible to trends. Once an issue, especially a tragic and emotional one, becomes politicized it is no longer about the individuals involved. Or their families or loved ones. It is now taken over and used. Out of respect for the lives lost, we must guard against this. Regardless of who is doing the take over.
I do hope our descendents are kinder to us then we have been to those who have graced the earth before us. Will they tear down our statues? There seems no one above reproach. Will the new statues stand as tall and as long and as proud before they too are toppled over by people blatantly committing acts of vandalism in the name of reconciliation? I can call violent acts all kinds of things but this does not change what it is – violence.
Democracy may in fact do itself in. We are listening so closely to those we fear, we have forgotten to listen to our past, our goals as a nation, our economists, our teachers, our parents. Let’s examine the history with skill and expertise that do not tweet well. Let the examination be thorough and thought out. It won’t make a cute instagram page. I doubt a Khardasian even the really hungry looking ones will adopt it as a project. Then let’s add to it. Let’s explore what we may have missed in a celebration of one aspect. Then we get a fuller picture to explain ourselves. History is not finished with us. We must do it justice.
During this odd past year, the teachers play the anthem for their students attempting to learn from home. It is a time of silence and children are expected to stand. My children have learned that cameras off and even cameras on but the ability to flee means very little attention is played to the various versions on what to them is merely a long and slightly dull song. The anthem on tv for hockey games holds their attention much better. After all, there are two teams, playing by some clear rules and the ambition is clear – glory for the team. Nearby I try to instill in our five year old the importance of standing for the country’s anthem. This is no small feat. Get up. We must stand for honesty, truth, progress, justness, and no you can’t go play with your hockey cards. This is a lot for a child. It shouldn’t be too much for the rest of us.
Apologies and shame do nothing for anyone. Paying respects and education are needed. A clear standard of right and wrong are needed in a country floundering. Knee jerk responses to be on the right side are phony at best and dangerous and destructive at worst.
Lobbyists, special interests should not be trendy. Racism, ageism, sexism, in fact all the “isms” are alive and well. I am surprised when celebrities continue to “break their silence” and their story is devoured and served to the masses as the holy grail. I would be stunned to hear of someone who has not experienced or witnessed at least one of the “isms”. Things clearly need to change, but the swinging of the pendulum needs to be guided. Politicians apologizing, military personnel taking cover, and the reflexive responses toting the party line are painful to watch.
Powerful words like genocide and predator are thrown around as we did with confetti when we didn’t know confetti was akin to avian murder. Words have meaning and are powerful and yet we let Twitter voice the concern of …who? Who exactly is the voice of twitter? Major news networks often have a segment to see what twitter is saying? Ron MacLean left shaking in his boots, or maybe hockey skates, is more than familiar with this. He saw his friend Don go the same way. People lolling about in the comfort of their lairs, attacked him professionally and personally in what I must say was a deranged take on a humorous aside. These comments are validated by simply offering twitter remarks as gospel. Now, I don’t know Ron Maclean and despite my two references to hockey – can’t help this during play-offs – and while he could be all kinds of backwards, I can recognize a witch hunt (all due respect meant of course) when I see one.
The bottom line is we are a mess. Not everything will fit into the paradigms someone has drawn for us. There will be aspects, blatant unjustness, situations needing both a salve to old wounds and a better path forward, but hearing the cry for cancelling Canada Day is blasphemous. The flag, used and abused as it is, is a symbol. Not a symbol of past wrongs, nor a symbol of shame, not a symbol for any one particular group, but for all. If we cancel our past, the only flag we will fly is the white flag of surrender. To berate and batter Canada by cancelling this day of celebration leaves us moorless and open to attack. Those who have fought before us did not fight for our surrender. Canada is still despite the better attempts of many leaders and special interest groups a good place fought for by brave people. It is a place still worthy of fighting for. Who except the self-professed morally righteous tweeting from the dark basements under cover could say the same?