November 10, 1999

Remembrance - THE COMMENTARY

By Joseph Planta

Written by me, this piece will be featured at Tupper’s Remembrance Day show, later today (November 10, 1999). A fellow by the name of Maneesh Puri will read it at both shows, and I’m proud to say it’s in good company, in terms of the other pieces. For whatever it’s worth, I’ll post it here and hope you’ll take your holiday Thursday and take a moment to pause and reflect.

- Since the beginning of time, mankind has wrestled with the concept of piece. It is very easy on a day like this to dwell in the den of complacency and wish for piece. It’s a nice and most respectful gesture, for those who have died for the freedom we have we have now, but there’s a catch.

This morning, we are grateful for the risks; blood, tears and spirit used in the past to protect you and I, today. Now what about tomorrow? What about our children and our children’s children? Their fates? Their futures? Our consciousness is our only hope for the future, in that we have some fundamental control over our actions, our beliefs, prejudices and our ability to love or hate.

It is so easy to fall into the cracks of blind patriotism, blind nationalism, blind prejudice. We shouldn’t. Other shouldn’t, but almost daily people our age, people younger, people older, buy into this foolishness and the concept of peace is farther and farther from our graspe.

Questions and comments may be sent to: editor@thecommentary.ca

An archive of Joseph Planta's previous columns can be found by clicking HERE .