I was up late, again, last night watching Fahrenheit 911 (Showtime, good job) and that movie stirs the social activist/moralist/ethics freak inside me. The most important lesson I think America needs to take from the film is the fundamental and necessary distinction to be made between a war and the soldiers that fight it. You may not agree with the policies and politics, but unless you are willing to make the life-changing sacrifice of joining the military, you better damn well thank them for their efforts.

Personally, the fear campaign to sell the Iraq war to the public is what interests me, primarily because I was fortunate to see it happening, knowing what it was at the time. Friends and relatives would ask "Do you think we are going to war with Iraq?" and I'd say the decision has already been made. I held out hope Powell would do his fellow citizens proud, but he too faltered under the weight of a predetermined policy decision. I feel for him. On an administration filled with crooks and liars, he stood out as the voice of reason. He just wasn't strong enough to fight them all.

However, to stay on course, and in keeping with my Canadian roots, I post this virtual poppy in honour of Remembrance Day. For all the talk of patriotism and whatnot, I wish Americans would display a similar symbol for more than the calendar day of November 11. I think the nation would embrace such a practice. I'm so cynical, I think it won't happen because such depressing, somber thoughts depress the economy, and we can't have that, now can we? I hope I'm wrong.