[Sutter4Mayor]

Originally Posted by Thunderball

Everyone needs to take a deep breath and calm down.

This is not an international incident. Its not even a big deal. Doesn't Peter Mackay have anything better to do? I know Coderre doesn't, but still...

Its called free speech. It unfortunately allows idiots to say whatever they want. Funny, we can hurl insults south on a daily basis, on GOVERNMENT SPONSORED TV programs, and no one says a word. Yet, one crackpot says something disparaging about Canada on a privately funded TV, and people start losing their minds. Grow up.

Tell my cousin to grow up. He's currently patrolling the Panjwaii district in Afghanistan - the birthplace of the Taliban. There are so many rockets hitting this area that our troops now refer to it as the "catcher's mitt". I can't begin to even imagine what it has been like for him to say farewell to good friends of his that have died during his tour there. But hey, it's not big deal to you that someone else makes fun of it.

Every time I see or hear about our men dying in Afghanistan, my heart stops and I pray that it is not him this time. And when I find out it's not him I feel relieved. But that quickly turns to guilt as my celebration means another loved one's sorrow.
But hey, like you said: no big deal.

It’s not only my cousin who’s risking his life, it’s also the rest of us who love him dearly. We face the risk of not having him in our lives should he fall during his tour. So when some insensitive ass makes irresponsible comments (regardless of free speech or whether it is supposed to be humour), I have a right to be angry. Because it’s a slap in a face to what my family is sacrificing. What he, his wife, and his dear children may stand to lose should something happen.

This should be honoured and defended. And I think Peter Mackay (and Coderre) understands this and he’s standing up for my cousin and the rest of the brave men and women serving our country as well as their families. And when it comes to something like this, In my mind it’s NO he doesn’t have “anything better to do”.

You might not think it’s a big deal, but I do.