I've written about Remembrance Day before, and I don't think that my opinion about the day has changed all that much. 

As a teacher, I have the opportunity to attend a ceremony in my school, and it gets better each year.  We have two very dedicated and passionate teachers who put the ceremony together, and a wonderful group of students who participate in it as well.  Each time I attend one of these as a staff member, I'm always struck by how much respect if afforded to these ceremonies by all the students in the school.  because of the population of my current school, not everyone can attend, but there is also a 10 minute ceremony done over the intercom so that all students can participate.  It's rather touching to see students who have truly known no war to stop what they are doing and ultimately stand at attention for the duration of such an event.  We don't have to ask, it is just a given that quiet and respectful are the tones of the day. 

What stands out to me more now than ever before is that our children are starting to learn firsthand why Remembrance Day is important. We. Are. At. War.  I don't think that politics needs to get in the way of this fact.  It doesn't matter if a person supports the war effort or thinks that Canada needs to be out of Afghanistan as soon as possible.  What matters is that there are men and women overseas, donning the uniform of our military, and doing jobs that most of us are not willing to do. 

Leave your politics out of this and remember that your right to protest is a result of others suiting up and defending our freedoms (speech, religion, protest, expression). 

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

courtesy of Laurence Binyon