Desecration

To the veterans assembled, it would have been a non-descript moment: an ageing woman with a rictus grin laying a wreath, eyes darting around looking for cameras to mug for, politicians to stage whisper "let's do lunch!" to.

I suppose if Taliban Jack Layton can lay a wreath, anyone can. Veterans are polite that way -- they fought for freedom, including the freedom of people to be fools.

But would their patience and politeness have stretched far enough to abide Jennifer Lynch's invasive presence had they known the truth about her and the CHRC?

If they knew that she had approved of her staff joining neo-Nazi groups, and publishing neo-Nazi filth -- as revealed under oath this spring -- would they have permitted her to lay a wreath?

If they knew that among Lynch's staff was a corrupt cop, fired from an Ottawa area police force, would they have allowed her there?

If they knew that the CHRC spends millions of dollars harassing politically incorrect citizens, with a special emphasis on persecuting Christian clergy, would they have allowed her to desecrate a memorial to men who died fighting for freedom of speech and freedom of religion?

Hardly. Or maybe I underestimate the patience and generosity of our veterans.

Had I been the Legion officer in charge, I would not have had such patience. Jennifer Lynch and her corrupt, abusive organization is a blight on our democracy. The fact that she uses tax dollars to pay government bureaucrats to join neo-Nazi groups and to harass priests is a national embarrassment 364 days a year. On Remembrance Day, it's a desecration.

If any reader is in Ottawa, help fight vandalism -- remove that filthy wreath from the cenotaph, and place it where it belongs: in the garbage.

UPDATE: Some readers think that my last line was over the top. I can see that point of view, and perhaps it was more of an angry flourish that a substantive point. Perhaps it would be better for the Legion to remove it, though at this point the wreath is legally nothing more than an abandoned chattel in a public place. I'll think a bit more about this, but let me ask my critics this:

The wreath was laid in the name of an organization whose official policy is to join neo-Nazi organizations and publish anti-Semitic, anti-black and anti-gay filth. CHRC staff have even written Nazi shorthand for "heil Hitler". That's what the CHRC does, and that's what Lynch defends.

If the wreath had been labelled as, say, "Axetogrind" or "Jadewarr" -- two CHRC staffers -- would that be okay? Or how about a loving wreath laid by Stormfront members (which it was)?

Again, I'm not saying that CHRC staff don't have the legal right to join neo-Nazi groups like Stormfront and VNN Forum. I think Jennifer Lynch has the legal right to preside over a Nazi propaganda machine -- it's just offensive (and possibly illegal) that it's on the public dime. My question is: politically, shouldn't Stormfront members who praise Hitler be kept away from Remembrance Day? And if Stormfront's Nazi members lay a wreath, shouldn't it be removed? Not stolen, mind you -- just thrown out.

I'm open to any and all comments about this.