It was around this time that I picked up a book about the Rwandan genocide written by Lieutenant General Romeo Dallaire, the Canadian Force Commander of UNAMIR, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda.  It was on his watch that the genocide occurred and reading about what happened from his perspective slowly began to change mine.  As he described why he joined the Canadian Forces I found myself identifying with him.  I was preparing to move to South Africa to work on a development project, and I was shocked when I found myself agreeing with all the reasons he cited.  How could I have that much in common ideologically with a man who was devoting himself to the vary thing I rallied against?

As he described his repeated calls for more men and more weapons to prevent what he predicted as being an inevitable event, I felt myself beginning to understand why occasionally you need a weapon to keep the peace.  By the end of the book I felt as though I had been brought back down to earth with a huge dose of reality.  There was a real world out there, and it wasn't always sunshine and folksongs.

I was surprised when the crash landing didn't crush my restless optimism.  It helped to open my mind to the truths that I may have been reluctant to admit.  Truths like the fact that there are terrible people in this world, people who wouldn't think twice about harming me (despite my intentions of 'saving the world',) if I got in their way.  The trouble with those people is that they are often standing in MY way.  They are standing in front of peaceful men, women, and children, who deserve to live in the Peace that I enjoy. 

As Remembrance Day (Canada) and Veteran's Day (US) approaches I am reminded about how lucky I am to be living in Peace, and I am grateful for those men and women who fought for my lifestyle.   While the battles that they fought in are over, the war still rages on.

I have a deep respect for the men and women who are putting their lives on the line for my ideals.  We have all heard the horror stories; we know that not every single person fighting in these wars is a model soldier.  There are easy examples to point to, abuses do happen, and they shouldn't be allowed to.  They sully the name of every single honorable serviceman and woman.  This is the reality that my cohort of hippies point to at every opportunity.  It is a reality that exists and should not be ignored, however it is not the only story.  There are countless stories of men and women acting with selfless honor, not just for their 'own' but also for those innocent men, women, and children.

There is often an argument by people on 'my' side that we shouldn't be in these wars because they are civil wars and we shouldn't be imposing our will on others.  I understand this argument because it is one that is extremely true...in some cases.  In others it is imperative that we 'outsiders' step in.  Rwanda is a prime example of this.  The issues surrounding wars are complex and can rarely, if ever, be explained by one perspective.  There is no magical pill of a solution, no one size fits all...and no easy way out.  It is often a 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' situation.  The decision to enter into a conflict, especially to enter into a raging civil war is not one that is made lightly.

The fact is that occasionally a decision has to be made.  Innocent lives are threatened; I do not envy the people who have to make these extremely difficult decisions.  They make choices everyday that result in service men and women being put in harms way.  That was their choice.  They chose to stand up for what they believe is right.  I don't always have to agree with them, and I surely won't agree with all of them.  But I will respect them, and on Friday I will stand in silence and honor them.  I will stand and remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, and I will remember those who are scattered across the globe in countries that most people couldn't pronounce or spell.

During the course of my Masters degree I was lucky enough to meet a man who served to reinforce my changed perspective.  He is now an assistant professor at the US Army Command and General Staff College.  His mission in life is to help to improve the lives of the service men and women that he comes into contact with...and through them ultimately make the lives of all service men and women a little better.  He teaches them things like resilience, and he teaches them how to cope with what they may encounter during their tours of duty.  He summed up his belief and that of many soldiers like him in one conversation that will stick with me...even if he never remembers saying it.  "I am working to put myself out of a job, I don't want to be involved in war, of course not!  Who would?  The fact of the matter is that there is still a job to be done, and if I don't do it who will?"

I no longer expose my ignorance to all who will listen.  I now offer up the alternative perspective to my cohort of flower children.  I explain how thankful I am to be able to reach the people that need our help the most, how ultimately it will be them who make the sustainable change in their countries.  I agree that a military presence or intervention is not the one thing that will bring change and peace, but I also know that in order for the people to stand up for their own rights, they need to feel safe to do so.  Sometimes it takes standing beside a person holding a gun to feel that sense of security.  While it may not always seem like it, we are fighting on the same side of the battle, we all want to put these soldiers out of buisness.  So instead of lamenting the fact that they exist, lets start working hard to change the conditions in the world that make them necessary...we owe them and those who have come before them that much at least.

In Flanders Fields
By John McCrae

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.