[Hammarlund] 9-11, My Great Shame

[Bernice & Al]

To All,

I have been mulling over if It would be appropriate to offer my condolences
to the citizens of the United States and to the families of those that
perished in that great tragedy of two years ago today.

I have great shame this day. The Prime Minister of Canada did not
participate in not one of the many  9-11 ceremonies that were held across
this country of mine. He saw fit to send the Deputy Prime Minister to a
Ceremony at the North Dakota/Manitoba border. This was a joint U.S. Canadian
event. In our Nations capital various ceremonies were held. The only
Canadian Government presence were Government Ministers. Our Prime Minister
expressed his condolences via a press release that I heard on one of our
local talk radio shows. The host was berating the Prime Minister for his
total lack of care. I suppose the families of the 24 Canadians that perished
were impressed by the press release. BTW the Prime Minister does have good
speech writers.

What I am trying to get across is that myself and the vast majority
Canadians are ashamed. Will the U.S. citizen again be disappointed by it's
northern neighbour's continued lack of support. I have a son that lives in
Pennsylvania who is in the process of becoming a U.S. citizen, first cousins
that were born in California, Aunts and Uncles who have lived in your
country for 65 years. Two great, great Uncles fought in your
Civil War and remained in the U.S. My wife has Aunts and Uncles in the
states also. My family like many other Canadians have very close ties to the
United States. I hope that you can appreciate our regrets over the
insensitivity of our Prime Minister. Thank the powers that be that by the
end of this year he will no longer be our leader.

I decided this evening that I, as patriotic and caring Canadian, must offer
my condolences to all Americans in their time of grief. Remember that good
shall prevail. May the families of those that perished be strong and may
their grief be handled with dignity and courage. May the those that caused
all those deaths see the insanity of their actions and that their goals will
not be achieved with the sword. The word is the true strength in mankind,
but this must not be seen as a sign of weakness. Those that do be aware. May
the families of the 24 Canadians who perished accept these words also.

Al VE2TAS

PS: Don't let the b........ds get you/us down.