If Canadians can, why not we?

iodine

With tears streaming down my cheeks, I watched a news report of Canada's Highway of Heroes.  That's the 100 mile trip their military killed in Iraq must take to get to their home after arriving on this continent.

On EACH bridge for the whole trip, in All weather, Canadians stand, wave flags, salute or wave as the funeral line of cars and hearse go by.  Families with kids, police, firemen, men, women, teens.  All wait, sometimes hours, for the cars to pass.  It's word of mouth--I understand there are no announcements.

Our dead are brought to Dover AFB.  All we have seen are some pictures taken without the knowledge of the powers that be.  Sometimes we see a bit of a funeral service, flags being folded.  But how many of us REALLY know about our boys/men being brought home.

Ok, I'm a vet, so's my dh.  I have supported our troops, even and especially during Nam, when I was bringing them home.  Now, I've had it!

I hope the new administration will allow us to acknowledge our dead when they are comming home.  To allow us to comfort their families, even if we never speak to them or see them.  I am bone weary of our guys being hidden and have to sneak back into the country they served.

  I am apolitical about most things, do have opinions I sometimes keep to myself, and hope to support our leaders even when I wonder why, but I just had to say this.

yellowrose

Hear, hear Dottie.  Our military service personnel deserve to be honored for the sacrifice given to this country.  Being brought home shouldn't be treated as a shameful secret. 

I know that our local VFW and a motorcycle club, The Patriot Guard, do a great job of bringing honor to the families of our fallen service members.  Every service member's family deserves acknowledgment and thanks for all that they have lost.

NoH8

I hoped your thread was about gay marriage LOL --we can follow canada in both ways.

mke

Well Dotti there are a number of reasons, not least of which is the Bush administration's push to keep the news of deaths muted and downplay the return of the bodies.



But there are other ones. Canada has about 1/10 the population of the US and has suffered even proportionally fewer losses than the US has to date. It is a bit easier to mark each one.



Most practically it is logistically possible here. Every fallen soldier is flown to Trenton AFB and then transferred to the Toronto morgue. They make that trip on the major highway through a heavily populated part of Canada. I think the radio news reports announce the time of motorcades so that commuters will know about them and also people can decide to stand on one of the many overpasses. Often some group organizes something, but then random people just join them. I don't know how it started.

iodine

I agree with all you said.  My question was rhetorical, but my anger and pain is real.  Thank you for clarifying that it is announced and planned. 

iodine

http://www.thetandd.com/articles/2007/04/06/news/doc4616da55409bc553824679.txt

This article was provided me by a dear bc sister and helped some of the concerns I had about our returning soldiers/Marines. 

It still took too long to have this honor in place, but thankfully, it is now being done.

mke

I'm glad that someone was able to send you something to lessen your anger, and even more glad that the reason for that anger has been eased.

Anonymous

It really is a very moving sight to see everyone on the overpass bridges and along the highway. A real way to connect and honor our fallen men and unite everyone in support. I'm sure the families are just as moved by this show of honor and solidaridty. I wish you could have the same. I wish the war was over and all these men could come home.