I am very grateful to Gabby for alerting me to this great video posted on Dan Cook’s blog
MSNBC featured a report last night on Canada’s Highway of Heroes. The story is told by reporter Kevin Tibbles who was struck by the ceremony while visiting his mother last July, and decided to do a story on it for their Veterans Day and our Remembrance Day.
He celebrates this grassroots movement that pays special tribute to each fallen soldier and the families as the motorcade winds its way from Trenton to Toronto, instead of trying to hide it from the public as seems to be done in the States.
I’m gathering up reaction from U.S. (and Canadian) citizens and will post it as I come across it. Please feel free to comment as well on this blog.
Very moving indeed.
Thanks to all the veterans, soldiers and their families that have made such tremendous sacrifices over the years so that we can continue to live in freedom.
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Reaction:
The Highway of Heroes – by Joy in Everett, Washington at Ramblings from My Sandbox:
"…The news piece made me cry and made me wish our own government…was as free to let us mourn our dead…"
Highway of Heroes – by MRMacrum in Acton, Maine at Lost in the Bozone:
"…In my opinion, Canada does it right. We could take a lesson from them. We could take quite a few lessons from our friends up north I guess."
Highway of Heroes – by Kay in Hawaii at Musings:
"…I wish we could do for our soldiers what Canadians have been doing on that stretch of highway in Toronto."
Highway of Heroes – by Kat in Texas at There’s a Diva in All of Us:
"Last night as I was watching the news on NBC, I saw the following story and was brought to tears. Gut-wrenching, sobbing uncontrollably tears. This shook me to the core.."
Highway of Heroes – Kevin Tibbles’ MSNBC blog: Comments from both sides of the border are excellent.
Some background at Northumberland Today, posted shortly before the broadcast.
The Toronto Sun has a story on the NBC report – Sun Media journalists helped with ‘Highway of Heroes’ creation:
…Last July, Tibbles was driving from Montreal to Ajax to visit his parents.
"I started to notice along the highway there were people standing along the sides with flags and people all over the bridges," he recently explained to Sun Media journalist Pete Fisher who was interviewed for the NBC feature.
"I didn’t know what it was," Tibbles explained, "but they were on every single bridge — every one. (When) I found out that it was a grassroots phenomenon that takes place and has just grown among ordinary people … I just found it fascinating."
Fisher is part of the NBC piece because he and Toronto Sun columnist Joe Warmington are largely credited with having the section of highway officially recognized as the "Highway of Heroes."
(I didn’t know that.)
Related: From the National Post – Remembrance: Brothers in Arms.
Clear Conservative Thought – Lets we forget. (Contains a link to another excellent video).
Sandy at Crux-of-the-Matter has a very personal story to tell. I remember her posting this last year and I’m grateful that she did so again today.
A Home in Hespeler – "There is no words…"
Neo at Halls of Macadamia has a link posted to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database – Lest we forget.
H/T to ‘Another Joanne’ in comments for this link to Bob Reid’s Highway of Heroes video. Please watch it!
And another reader sent me an email tip about this one – Highway of Heroes Canada (Thanks Dave!) . This is a terrific video because it shows how every bridge is full of people showing their repect and appreciation. Also check out the comments from the viewers in France and Britain.
Welcome Little Green Football readers!
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Wednesday Update: Sadly, not all Canadians want to wear poppies on Remembrance Day, as this letter in today’s National Post illustrates:
…If everyone had to visit a hospital for wounded war veterans, I doubt that we would be so quick to head out to the battlefields. Because of new technology, such as Kevlar vests, soldiers are now coming home so seriously maimed that they would probably be better off dead. These are young people sent to war by old white men sitting comfortably in government offices.
I did not wear a red poppy this year. I will not support the war industry and its propaganda. Why are we all such dupes?
Anne Streeter, Mount Royal, Que.
