ONE OF US

To all Americans I say, the Orlando shooter was one of you. More collectively I say, he was one of us. Our default will be to deny this. No solution proceeds from labeling him a terrorist, Islamic, deranged, different from. The victims too were ones with us. An avoidance response might be, "but they were gay." No one elevates himself by refusing to lower a flag to half-mast, or by asserting, "they deserved it." Politicians and NRA will honour humanity's incomparable privilege of sharing life on this planet only when weapons of war cease to be considered intrinsic citizen rights and as essential to domestic security.

WEAR YOUR WHITE POPPY TOMORROW

Today is Remembrance Day in Canada. The sentiment expressed by a white poppy is commendable but the employment of it on Remembrance Day in lieu of the red poppy is inappropriate. In a democratic society people should have a choice and not feel vilified if they wear a white poppy. I can concur with that because democracy and that freedom of statement and choice is the outcome of lives laid down by valiant Canadians fighting to preserve it. It is advisable and preferable that a white poppy be worn on any other day of the year than Remembrance Day. It is understandable that a sensitive uproar broke out in Canada when the Royal Canadian Legion accused peace activists of hijacking their red poppy symbol by selling white poppies. Red poppies are not a defense for or justification of war, but a commemoration of the human cost to insure our peace.