WARMINGTON: Don't use Remembrance Day to push pro-Hamas agenda
November 11th is about honouring those who fought for our freedom
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Lest we forget Remembrance Day is about Canada’s war dead and those who fought for our freedom.
It’s not about remembering Hamas martyrs or pushing white poppies or peace rallies. It’s not about promoting ceasefires or scoring political points.
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It’s about remembrance – plain and simple.
But there are always people who try to highjack or devalue this solemn day. And this year is no exception.
It takes a lot of nerve to hold a pro-Hamas rally on Remembrance Day, but that’s what a poster circulating on social media was pushing.
“Remembrance Day vigil for Palestinian martyrs,” the social media posting declares.
The event is scheduled to be held in Mississauga’s Celebration Square, located at 300 City Centre Dr., beginning at 6 p.m. – some seven hours after traditional Remembrance Day services are held.
But it still seems crass.
B’nai Brith Canada CEO Michael Mostyn calls it “revolting.”
“On Remembrance Day, we commemorate the sacrifices that members of our armed forces have made in the defence of our country – preserving our democracy and freedom,” he said.
“How revolting that the poppy has been co-opted by a group glorifying barbaric terrorists, with the same evil ideology that our brave Canadian armed forces have fought against again and again,” Mostyn said.
“Anyone attending this rally of moral inversion should bow their heads in shame,” he added.
And it’s not the only event that some veterans are concerned about. There is another one planned for Toronto at 180 Shaw St. called an “Art Build for an Anti-war Remembrance Day and a Free Palestine.”
“This Remembrance Day, let’s mark it by taking action to end war and demand a ceasefire in Palestine,” states a poster advertising the event, which is scheduled to be held from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Of course, that’s code for trying to help Hamas – especially since neither of these social media posters mention the people slaughtered Oct. 7th by the terrorists or the 240 hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza.
Even Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow in her statement and media comments still uses the terms anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in the same sentence as she calls for “the immediate and unconditional return of all hostages and a ceasefire.”
There is no middle ground on genocidal killers, yet so many want to stay in the middle – except for at these protests which are all out anti-Semitic.
When you see videos like the one outside of Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute of young protesters screaming, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” you can’t help but wonder how Jewish students are feeling.
“We take all allegations of hate and racism very seriously,” Toronto District School Board spokesperson Ryan Bird said. “We are in receipt of the video and will be investigating further to determine exactly what happened?”
What’s happening, said former Canadian ambassador to Israel Vivian Bercovici, is “Jewish students are not safe in TDSB schools or Canadian universities.”
That is not what Canadian veterans fought and died for.
November 11th is only about our veterans. Lest we forget.
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