KevinB said:
I just got sick and tired of this diatribe for the last 12 years!. I was in Cyrpus with the Para Bty when the Somalia incidents (good and bad) went down - and I was in Pet when we got to watch the US TF Ranger pers being pulled thru the streets of Mogadishu and torn apart by the crowds, at the same time our public, gov't and military was edging the CAR, Airborne Battle Group and SSF towards the shredder.
The fact that some in our military have bought into the "public" face the gov't and to the shame of the Army and CF what we as a corporate entity did as well is sickening. Unfortunately Somalia from the CF mission was a resounding sucess that was drown in a series of convolute and undesipherable incidents. Why not a painting of two guys in R&R attempting to rescue a french chick from a shark attack - want to talk balls going into the water to try and rescue someone from that? Why not highlight the good that happend - why becase the Gov't and the Army was in a Track toad heavy mind set and wanted to stamp out the jumper and light forces for good - it was politically expedient to paint a unit as rogue and sell out.
Every unit / mission has skeletons - why because we are human are not perfect, sometimes loyalty is misplaced, and sometimes you just did not know what was going on even when you where there.
I've seen highs and lows in the Army - from Oka and Gulf1 where the CF where hero's and how we went to zero after Somalia. Then back to good guys after the Red River Flood gong show. Then back to dirt with the CANBAT allegation of rape and other sexual escapades with the Mental health Nurses and Inmates in Crotia. You think anything changed with disbandment - other than losing a great capability? The same pers that some enjoy to decry as still around today...
I wonder when the next disaster will beset us? I KNOW several here know of incidents worse that what I mentioned, that the Gov't/Army did not find politically expedient to investigate or prosecute at that time (or at least make public).
The reason why I have a short fuse on some issues (this is not the only one) is I EXPECT that serving members of the military can acheive some common ground regardless of what element they are in or what capbadge and colour of hat they wear. Face it we are dirt to 99.9% of the civilian world - they either elevate or lower our status in their opinion based on perceive need for our skills. Maybe that cynical but thats been my experience ever since I originaly signed up April 27th 1987.
The fact that some chose to place paintings of an incident that has been a wound in the Army that has not healed is worse to me than spitting in my face. The fact that Brown get air time to breathe let alone be a poster child make me ill. I won't go - I won't take my son, nor my parents and I will ask them to avoid it as a favour to me. Why? because I dont want them seeing that (and I've seen both pics) and thinking of me or the CF - cause that is NOT what we do. I'm not saying not to make up your own mind, I'm just saying WTF are you thinking. I fail to see any honour in that sort of "statement" they have made - I view it as another sacred bound that has been broken, by the CF, the Gov't and the Canadian Public.
-Kevin
I'll copy my post from the other thread here also.
Well stated, Kevin B.
We have a display in our own Regimental museum, devoted to Japanese-Canadians. We had several serve in our predecessor unit, the 10th Battalion CEF, in the trenches. Some won valour awards, many were praised for bravery.
The Canadian government interned many of these veterans during the Second World War.
Some say not a proud moment in Canadian history. Others say "you know what? There was a war on." Certainly another hot button issue. Can't say I'm proud of the fact we had concentration camps, and imprisoned MM and DCM winners based on their race. Also hard to judge what they were thinking 60 years ago.
It happened.
The Somalia affair had a huge impact on the CF and even, I daresay, Canadian history. Is it something to be proud of? Not on your life. Should it be given attention out of proportion to the other missions that the Airborne successfully prosecuted? I don't know. I wasn't there, but bear in mind that the museum is in fact for the 99% of the population that wasn't there - and in 100 years, it will be 100 percent of the population, just as 100 percent of the museum visitors right NOW have never served in the Boer War. They've all joined the ranks of the white battalions. The history of the Airborne is there for the rest of us to interpret - the museum can't just cater to the 0.001% of the population that lived it.
What is in the best interest of the public? I would like to see - if it is really necessary to showcase this event - a fair and even treatment. We don't know, based on the rantings of some media types, if that has been done. I think we all have some pretty deep suspicions, rightly so. Calling for a boycott of an insitution (whomever did this) so vital to the continued good health of the military community in Canada seems a little premature at this point.
I don't think the event should be exaggerated, though nor do I think it should be trivialized. Why do we have SHARP now? Why do we watch the X's and O's? The entire culture of the CF changed as a result of this event, with it the way we do business, even the way we think. The disbandment of the Airborne is irrelevant, and shouldn't even be part of the discussion. That was my mistake. I should have avoided the same, tired old political hacks on this site who see liberal conspiracies in everything that happens. I say again - the disbandment is irrelevant to the issue of the painting.
If we can seperate the two - and that, again, was my fault - then we can discuss the matter a little more calmly I think.