Friday was Remembrance Day. But it’s also a sad anniversary of sorts. It was around this time two years ago that a Canadian icon was forced to walk the broadcast plank. Don Cherry — who, for decades was responsible for the most-watched eight minutes of TV in Canada every week — stood up for the poppy.
He lamented about the lack of people showing respect for our veterans and those who made the ultimate sacrifice. But his stance was deemed culturally insensitive by the politically-correct soy boys who run Rogers Sportsnet and so it was, that their greatest talent was given the axe. Hockey Night in Canada has since devolved into a woke-joke; viewers continue to check out in droves.
The crux of Cherry’s rant was the fact that too few people are bothering to wear the poppy on Remembrance Day. The phrase, “Lest we forget” has seemed to morph into “Lest we forget… about what?” How sad! Our veterans have given so much to ensure our freedoms and liberties. Is wearing a little red flower one day a year too much of an ask? Apparently, yes it is too much to ask…
Indeed, once again, I decided to do an informal “poppy count” this year — you know, I’d literally count the number of passersby wearing poppies. We began our survey just past 10 a.m.; I would argue that if you don’t have a poppy on your lapel by that point, chances are you’re probably sitting out Remembrance Day.
Alas, what a sad sight. Well over 95% of passersby at the downtown Toronto intersection of Yonge and Dundas were without poppies on display. In fact, face diapers outnumbered poppies by a factor of 20 to 1.
The most oft-repeated answer as to why people were without poppies was either: “I forgot” or “I couldn’t find a place selling them.” Really?
I had an envelope full of poppies and offered poppies to those who didn’t have one. Most were appreciative; but others refused to accept this offering. That’s right: at minutes before 11 a.m. on Remembrance Day, I literally couldn’t give away poppies to some folks. Astonishing.
Bottom line: Cherry was right; Sportsnet was wrong. As for those who don’t wear a poppy on November 11th, it is your right to do so. Still, you should be ashamed of yourselves nevertheless…
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Author David Menzies
