Posted on 06/19/2007 2:38:42 AM PDT by Clive
The Support Our Troops ribbon on Toronto Fire vehicles, which were paid for by firefighters, are to be removed in September. (Joe Warmington/Sun Media)
Our brave troops will still be fighting in Afghanistan this September even if the magnetic ribbon support decals on Toronto Fire trucks and ambulances won't be.
The city has ordered the Support Our Troop decals to be removed from all fire trucks and EMS vehicles on Sept. 4, the Sun has learned.
The reason? It depends on who you talk to. And there are lots of contradictions.
Some say it is because it was not brought to council for proper approval, others say protocol was not followed. Another reason given is it was a one-year project.
But many City Hall sources tell me it has everything to do with some complaints from a few anti-war citizens who have the ear of some leftist councillors -- and felt the ribbons were in support of the war in Afghanistan and not just in support of the troops.
'IN CONVERSATIONS'
"It was a decision I made in conversations I had with the two chiefs," said city manager Shirley Hoy, who was good enough to return a call yesterday on this and own up.
Several members of council did not extend the courtesy. Having said that, Hoy, though, still attempted to dance around this by saying it was a "one-year support program" and that the decision was made to remove the decals when the vehicles were scheduled for "regular maintenance."
Surely, Shirley, every vehicle is not going in on the same day for repairs?
Later she admitted the support ribbons did not meet "certain corporate standards" for the city.
Maybe we can arrange to give the troops over there some parking tickets and send over a bylaw officer to make sure they are complying with the smoking rules? Corporate standards! What the hell are they talking about?
The whole thing is outrageous but at least now we are on to what this is really all about. They should just say it. This is the politically correct leftist crowd getting their way -- at the expense of our amazing troops in the battle of their lives. This has got to be a moral victory for the Taliban.
The guys really on the spot here are Fire Chief Bill Stewart and Ambulance Chief Bill Farr. Two very good guys who essentially answer to council and to senior administration and have their hands tied. Also, there is no way the paramedics and firefighters in this town would approve. I know many and their respect for the troops is unwavering.
While Chief Stewart said the decals "did not meet corporate standards ... and the corporate policy must be adhered to," decals or no decals he also emphasized "we certainly support the Canadian troops." He said firefighters have had fundraisers and other initiatives to show that.
If they do, no political pressure from some leftist anti-war activist should be able to stop that.
Shame on anybody who is messing with that. Like it or not, this country is at war and it's imperative we support the men and women doing the heavy lifting every chance we get. Hoy told me the decals were put on a year ago and were to be removed at the end of one year. No one else indicated this was the plan.
If it was, it would be unprecedented in Canadian military history. Imagine if they'd put up yellow ribbons during World War II for just the year 1942? There is at least one veteran upset about this.
"I can guarantee that no one on city council has ever served in the Armed Forces but they are always eager to jump to the front of the line when a Forces photo opportunity comes along and shout that they support the troops," said Don Ashfield.
"City council can vote approval to bump their pay, pad their expense accounts and attend many meetings where free food is given, but Support Our Troops? Never."
A spokesman in the mayor's office said he "didn't know anything about this." Same goes for several other councillors -- all of whom did not return calls.
Yeah, sure!
Scott Marks, president of the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters Association, said the reaction of members ranges from some who are not too worked up to others who are outraged. It was the association who designed and paid for the decals on the fire trucks -- the EMS ones were paid for with taxpayers' money.
More than a month ago pressure was brought to bear by Now magazine, which quoted specifically Councillor Janet Davis. "I do connect the Afghan mission to the Support Our Troops sticker. That is where our troops are being killed," she told Now reporter Andrew Cash in May.
"Not only does this not communicate a City of Toronto policy, but it also sends a political message about a public policy matter that is quite contentious. And we shouldn't be using public funds for it."
'A POLITICAL MESSAGE'
But if we are going to be by the book about public money at City Hall, let's not start at the expense of the at-risk troops -- 57 of whom have died in battle.
This is not the issue to try to show corporate precision and integrity. Try doing it when you are quietly voting yourselves an 11% raise.
Whatever you think of this, a decision has been made to have those decals removed. "I think it's crazy," said one firefighter. "We sent over a video to the troops to show them these ribbons on the trucks. I hope they know we still support them."
Perhaps this is not over yet. It's actually up to you. This might be a time for us to collectively speak up. If there is public reaction against this nonsense, maybe we can turn this around and they will leave those decals right where they are -- and leave them there until every member of our Canadian Armed Forces is back from this conflict and not a moment before.
Our troops will still be fighting in Afghanistan in September and if we make enough noise perhaps those decals supporting them will remain on the side of our municipal emergency vehicles.
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Disgusting. I honor the service of the brave Canadians fighting with our boys in Afghanistan, but in this moment I have nothing but contempt for the nation they call home.
It’s not just them though. I caught a kid trying to peel mine off once while I was at the gas station. Lucky for him he saw me coming and bolted. Lucky for me I guess too, I’d have wailed on his ass for a good while. What is wrong with these people? There’s a war on, whether they like it or not.
After the third one was stolen, I gave up.
As long as they were pilfered for display and not in protest, I guess I can live with that.
Meanwhile it's officially sanctioned Pride Week in Toronto
and Tourism Toronto, the city's official destination-marketing organization has spent $300,000 to put up posters above urinals in 'gay' bars across the US
promoting Toronto as the perfect place for perverts to visit.
while at the same time insulting those who serve...
Please don't stereotype us all based on the doings of a left wing mayor and city council.
Tell me that you cannot find similar attitudes in places like San Fracisco or Boston.
Here is a picture of the commons in front of the Parliament Building as Canadians wearing red jackets and shirts flooded it with a sea of red to honour our troops on a Red Friday.
Similar events have been seen in commons and civic squares in other Canadian cities, including Toronto. I understand that the Red Friday idea is being picked up in some places in the US as well.
I am a Conservative but I must point out that it was a Canadian Liberal government that deployed JTF2 (our equivalent of SAS) immediately following 9/11 and was the first foreign government to join with the USS to deploy battle groups to Afghanistan in January/February 2002. Battle groups have been continuously rotated into Afghanistan ever since.
It was also a Liberal Canadian government that deployed them to the most active theatre in Afghanistan in the full knowledge that the Chief of Defence staff had warned that there would be a butcher's bill to be paid.
You’re right. I’m sorry, I spoke hastily.
I’m not entirely surprised by this. I know that leftist groups have been campaigning/complaining for a long time about support the troops magnets and stickers. I’ve also read about similar behaviour by like-minded groups in the U.S.
IMHO—What they don’t realise is that those gestures mainly provide comfort to the families of deployed soldiers. When we see support in the form of ribbons, magnets, stickers, or the Red Friday rallies, it comforts us to know that people out there are thinking of our “guys”—that we’re not the only ones whose thoughts are overseas, and who are proud of our soldiers.
Also—those initiatives support the Military Family Resource Centres across Canada—which provide comfort and assistance to military families.
Its not about the war, its about the people, the real people involved.
I’ve noticed that the only people complaining about the war are the ones who are not affected by it !
That being said, I have seen more support for our military over the past few years than I had ever seen in all the years my husband has been in uniform.
I sure don’t miss the “good old days” of our military being openly and publicly ridiculed by the majority of Canadians.
I am very appreciative of how the tide has turned, and the majority of Canadians now openly show their pride in our military and our soldiers.
IMHO the Military will always be misunderstood by a segment of the population.
It was ever thus:
Tommy
By Rudyard Kipling
I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.
I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.
Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.
We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.
You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!
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Please send me a FReepmail to get on or off this Canada ping list.
Oh. canada.
It’s Toronto ... does this surprise anyone???
Thanks Clive, I’ve always liked that one!
Let’s just leave the decals off official vehicles. Do we support the troops? Of course. And I’ll take the controversial and daring positions that I hate breast cancer and I’m not a big fan of AIDS,
Not only that, but — don’t try to stop me, I’m not afraid to be controversial — I am four-square against murder, domestic abuse, child molestation, nuclear war, famine, malaria, methamphetamines, muscular dystrophy, heart disease, diabetes, emphysema, ulcerative colitis and psoriasis. How much room do we have left for more decals? I’m sure I can think of some more ...
The problem with flood gates is that you can’t just open them a little bit. There are a lot of worthy causes, and a lot of private vehicles where any citizen can express support for them. Let’s just stick with official insignia on official vehicles and avoid all this Barbra Streisand.
In the mean while every employee Fire Service, Ambulance Service, Police Service, and Veteran’s organization could hold rallies and letter writing campaigns to the news outlets and the Mayor describing just how poor the treatment is by the overly officious "High Lord Mayor" (sarcasim intended) of the Canadian Troops and the Emergency responders.
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