CBC Ottawa news story about the trauma of viewing HMVs

[r.morrison]

Many years ago, I owned a 45 GPW, which I adored driving in downtown Vancouver. It was always a show stopper. One day, while being front and centre at an intersection, waiting for a red light, a Volkswagon window bus made a turn into the intersection and long haired ....yes I gotta say it "hippie type" screamed out at me"The War's Over". Luckily being stopped, I grabbed the windshield, hauling myself up, with both middle fingers standing at attention, shouted back" F'You Jack! And very much to my surprise, I received a virtual standing ovation via clapping and horn honking from those others waiting there for the the light to turn green, including people on the sidewalk.
One of my prouder moments in this hobby......Robert

[Terry Witiuk]

Saw this article when the CNE airshow was happening.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toront...auma-1.3747293

The person who submitted the article is Maya Bastian, a writer and film maker. From that article...

"Bastian is now working on a film based on the air show and people's reactions to it. One of her biggest concerns is the impact it has on Torontonians who've experienced actual aerial attacks, as opposed to the orchestrated showcase on display this weekend.

"No one — especially the immigrants and refugees that show up new to the city — they're not made aware of what's going to happen," Bastian says."No one tells them, 'Hey, there will be planes — warplanes — over the city. It'll be loud, it'll be disturbing.' So they're caught completely off-guard."

That isn't to say that Bastian is convinced the air show needs to end. But she does think there's a tension "between accepting refugees into our society and this sort of affront to their experiences."

It's an event whose purpose was very clear when it began, she adds. The question is whether that is still the case.

"It's part of the Canadian fabric ... In the '40s it was necessary; we needed it. Now I don't know that it is ... It's a complex question, and I'm not advocating to shut down the air show. What I'm looking for is discourse.""

The last two paragraphs/sections are interesting and not clear what she actually means. I'm guessing that she is referring to WWII but not clear why she believes it was necessary then and not now.

There is a "feedback" link at the bottom of that page.

Terry

[motto]

I despair for where we are headed when I listen to the ramblings and psychobabble emanating from what my father used to refer to as the educated idiots, the intellectual elite who believe they know what is best for everybody without a crumb of common sense between them.
My generation (post war 'baby boomers') and subsequent never had to fight for our freedom let alone our existence and in the words of our much revered early Australian poet Henry Lawson 'rot in a deadly peace'.
I get the feeling that we are headed for a reality check.The dogs are barking but at this stage are just being yelled at to shut up.
Your (Canadian) Mark Steyn seems to have a clear perception of the issues as well as being entertaining. All is not lost.

David

ps In a not wholly unrelated issue, in recent times I've heard two reports of HMV owners being told by police to get rid of the axe carried on their vehicles. A pioneer rack with axe, shovel and pick handle may soon be looked upon by some do-gooders as a collection of weapons, not tools. We await developments.

[Frank v R]

as simple as it gets "there is no cure for stupid"

[rob love]

About 2 years ago the we got a task at the museum to put some vintage vehicles into the multipurpose room for a citizenship ceremony. The PPCLI put in a LAV complete with it's chain gun and I moved in a UN marked Iltis and the ceremonial/vice regal Jeep. I wondered if placing military vehicles at a citizenship ceremony might bring up some bad memories for some of the participants. Apparently it did not because I think just about every one of them jumped into the ceremonial Jeep for their photos to be taken.

[Little Jo]

Hi All

From what I have read it appears that the rot is setting in and spreading like a cancer to stop all free living people to knuckle under and change our views and way of life to appease a group of people who have recently come to our countries for a better way of life. But no they want us all to change and not offend them when they do not agree with how we have worked and fought to live in the countries we now live in. To say the are traumatised by seeing a military vehicle in a parade or celebration, well maybe they should go to Specsavers, from what I have seen every night on TV news broadcasts, I see the "Baddies" driving around in Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi SUV and pickup trucks, does that mean we must take all our Pickups off the road for fear of offending or traumatising new comers to our countries.

I recall very well when my family immigrated to Australia from the Netherlands after WW2 and 5 years under German occupation that those immigrants were not traumatised. We embraced our new country and settled into the communities and took up our new countries ways and lifestyle. We became Australians and we attended the annual ANZAC Day March, we were proud and that we were now living in a free country. When I was called up for National Service I willingly went and served my new country.

Sorry that's my two pence worth. Careful of the thin edge of the wedge.

Cheers

Tony

[jdmcm]

Speaking of for myself, I have had very positive experiences from all manner of people while displaying my vehicles, last year at Remembrance Day ceremonies in South Surrey I was approached by a father with son and daughter in tow, newly landed from Syria via Lebanon...he wanted to know if his kids could climb up on the M113 for some pictures, I was more than happy to oblige...reactions from his kids were what you would expect from kids anywhere...excitement and smiles. This makes me wonder if context has a lot to do with ones reaction. Sunny fall day, lots of people, friendly crowd gathering for a peaceful day...one reaction...armored personnel carriers laden with soldiers screaming down war torn streets amid gunfire, destruction and chaos...another reaction...I won't say that if I had spent ten or twenty years living among the terror of war that I would feel the same way as I do now about MV's....or really a lot of the things I take for granted. I have no problem entering into a reasonable discourse about the topic...I honestly believe that the fear or anxiety generated by the occasional sight of a historic military vehicle on the street or on display, is very far down on the list of worries of people who have fought as hard and risked as much as these folks, just to call Canada home. My two cents

[James P]

Canadians ( the social engineered types) are the most up tight and anal lot going, just living for an excuse to whine............. and I am more then happy to oblige their need to emote on the subject.

[jack neville]

Originally Posted by motto

I despair for where we are headed when I listen to the ramblings and psychobabble emanating from what my father used to refer to as the educated idiots, the intellectual elite who believe they know what is best for everybody without a crumb of common sense between them.
My generation (post war 'baby boomers') and subsequent never had to fight for our freedom let alone our existence and in the words of our much revered early Australian poet Henry Lawson 'rot in a deadly peace'.
I get the feeling that we are headed for a reality check.The dogs are barking but at this stage are just being yelled at to shut up.
Your (Canadian) Mark Steyn seems to have a clear perception of the issues as well as being entertaining. All is not lost.

David

ps In a not wholly unrelated issue, in recent times I've heard two reports of HMV owners being told by police to get rid of the axe carried on their vehicles. A pioneer rack with axe, shovel and pick handle may soon be looked upon by some do-gooders as a collection of weapons, not tools. We await developments.

With all respect Dave, if the police told someone to remove an axe from a vehicle I would strongly advise that person to question such a direction. There is nothing in Victoria's legislation where any offence is being committed by having an axe attached to a vehicle especially with military vehicles where it is part of the CES.

The only time being in possession of an axe would constitute an offence is where it was proven that the possession was in connection with some intent to use the axe as a weapon. Strapped to the side of a vehicle falls far short of that.

As an aside however when we took a number of vehicles across to Tasmania on the car ferry some years ago we were instructed by the loading staff to remove the axes and secret them out of sight in the vehicles! "What about the shovels?". "No they will be ok?

Go figure!!!!

[motto]

One axe incident was in SA a while back and more recently in QLD IIRC.
To a very great extent it would be at the discretion of the cop involved. I don't see a trend just yet, probably the odd officious type we've all no doubt met at sometime, they take a very dim view of being challenged and I wouldn't like to try. Similar discretion applies to the carriage of any cargo in or on a vehicle on club permit. That is a definite no no according to the regs. I wonder how many cops would even know that?

David

[chris vickery]

So just like everything else in this whacked out society, I suppose if one ever gets bitten by a dog, then all dogs are bad and no one should own one, right?
Given the way the current Left wing mentality is going, pretty soon we will all be wrapped in bubble suits sitting around singing kumbaya and giving hugs to each other. Now I am really beginning to understand the survivalist type, dooms day'ers who live like hermits far from the idiocy.
Furthermore, it is hard to believe that Canadians continue to fund the CBC who have a certain political agenda to push on the rest of us.

[motto]

Funny that you should mention dogs Chris. Greyhound racing has just been made illegal in the state of New South Wales due to the unsavoury habits of some of the owners. The whole industry (which I've never had the slightest interest in and no regard for) has been abolished at the stroke of a pen due to the actions of a percentage of hard core participants.
It's a numbers game, the system will come down hard on easy targets who have little support or no power to make a fuss. Meanwhile it has just been announced that my state, Victoria, has suffered a 13% increase in crime over the last year. This includes violent crime, murders, home invasions and car jackings. The last two were virtually unheard of here until imported with more recent arrivals but to say so invites condemnation of the strongest order from the educated idiots. These are the people that hold sway as long as the silent majority remains silent.
It's an ever changing and fascinating world with or without airshows.

David