Free Republic

For the first time in decades, members of the public will be allowed to walk on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Plaza — an honor typically reserved for presidents. "When we've seen the president in the past place the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, that's the same location where the public will be able to place flowers at the tomb," Gerald Lowe, who coordinates major events at the cemetery, told CBS News' Catherine Herridge. The area will be open to the public for the two-day event happening on November 9 and 10 at Arlington National Cemetery...

A Canadian broadcast company fired Cherry after a rant on television in which he said new immigrants are not honoring the country's fallen soldiers. TORONTO — Don Cherry, Canada's most polarizing, flamboyant and opinionated hockey commentator, was fired Monday for calling immigrants "you people" in a television rant in which he said new immigrants are not honoring the country's fallen soldiers. Rogers Sportsnet President Bart Yabsley announced the decision in a statement following discussions with the 85-year-old broadcaster. "It has been decided it is the right time for him to immediately step down," Yabsley said. "During the broadcast, he...

Members of Fredericton's Royal Canadian Legion are asking vandals who destroyed part of the city's cenotaph to turn themselves in as the organization prepares for Remembrance Day. Jean-Guy Perrault, the president of Branch 4 of the Royal Canadian Legion, arrived at the cenotaph on Monday morning to decide where to place the crosses for Wednesday's Remembrance Day ceremony. That's when he noticed that the cenotaph had been heavily damaged in places.

Pacifist Europeans have short memories By Mark Steyn (Filed: 11/11/2003) Today is Veterans' Day in the United States, and Remembrance Day in much of the Commonwealth. In Britain, it's now marked on the preceding Sunday, though with the traditional solemn Royal observances ("Is Charles bisexual?" – the News Of The World). I bought my poppy in Montreal. "Do you know what this means?" asked the aged member of the Royal Canadian Legion as he pinned a poppy on my little girl's coat. "Oh, yes," she replied. "A lot of fellows your father's age have no idea," he said, grumpily. I'd...

Veterans deserve our respect The student council at the University of Guelph banned any recognition of Remembrance Day You probably didn't know Pte. John Smith Berry of the 48th Highlanders of Canada. I didn't either. But no doubt, like all of us, he had family and friends who knew and loved him. But most of those are likely gone now. So too were the hopes and dreams that Berry, like all young people, must have harboured, dreams which died with him on that battlefield in Italy on October 5, 1944. There is a brass plaque in his honour, and several...

IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place, and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.