“Bubble Wrap Kids”

I think today's kids are over-protected, and there are no reason for this. It's not even good for children. Like it said in the article, children who are driven by the parents have normally more problems than the other ones because at one point, they want to lose their parents for being on their back all the time. On the other hand, the ones that do not rebel become people that can't do anything by themselves. A lot of times, parents do things whey think it's for the best of their young ones, but in the reality, it's not… Kids have to do mistakes, to learn from them…

Maclean’s, March 19th

I think Osama Bin Laden is probably still alive and living well, not in a cave like a lot of people think. As a matter of fact, I'm even wondering if he's really the one U.S. should be looking for. But that's another subject… As for al-Qaeda, even if it has been weakened in the past, it probably is restructuring and trying to rise even stronger than it was. And it must be easy for them; in the countries the organization evolves, it's free to do almost what it wants to do, governments being afraid of it.

As for us, I don't think we should be worried because we are probably not one of their main goals… They have plenty of things to do in the U.S. and/or England before coming in our little country…Hehe

« Do Immigrants Need Rules? »

When looking at the past few weeks, it's hard to say no, especially for somebody loving his native country. In the last 6 months, there have been a lot of incidents where Immigrants tend to ask more than they should, overlapping our freedom; we who were born here. Needless to say, I'm not a racist. I love to know about other people way of life, how it goes in their countries and so on.

    In my opinion, the problem is not having a lot of immigrants of many different religions, way of life or anything else; the problem is the minority of them that do not want to change. The minority thinking everybody owes them everything. Why would we be the one always accepting what the other want? I don't mind accommodating certain needs when necessary and/or if it doesn't matter to the majority of the people affected by the accommodation, for example the problem with the windows of the YMCA in Montreal. If the center had made a survey or anything to know the opinion of the users, if let's say more than 75% didn't care about it, then go ahead, put on the frosted windows, and I'm probably sure it wouldn't have made the same effect on people.

Finally, I don't think the government should do "rules" like Herouxville did. As they said in the article, the immigrants should go through a process where they could learn about our history, our culture, our way of life… When we go in other countries, we adapts ourselves to their living, it should be the same here then.

Aubin, Benoit; Gatehouse, Jonathon. "Do Immigrants Need Rules?" Maclean's 5 March 2007:20-26

Poem #2

The Night Before Christmas


T'was the night before Christmas,
He lived all alone,
In a one bedroom house,
Made of plaster and stone.

I had come down the chimney,
With presents to give,
And to see just who,
In this home did live.

I looked all about,
A strange sight I did see,
No tinsel, no presents,
Not even a tree.

No stocking by the mantle,
Just boots filled with sand,
On the wall hung pictures,
Of far distant lands.

With medals and badges,
Awards of all kinds,
A sober thought,
Came through my mind.

For this house was different,
It was dark and dreary,
I found the home of a soldier,
Once I could see clearly.

The soldier lay sleeping,
Silent, alone,
Curled up on the floor,
In this one bedroom home.

The face was so gentle,
The room in such disorder,
Not how I pictured,
A Canadian soldier.

Was this the hero,
Of whom I'd just read?,
Curled up on a poncho,
The floor for a bed?

I realized the families,
That I saw this night,
Owed their lives to these soldiers,
Who were willing to fight.

Soon round the world,
The children would play,
And grownups would celebrate,
A bright Christmas Day.

They all enjoyed freedom,
Each month of the year,
Because of the soldiers,
Like the one lying here.

I couldn't help wonder,
How many lay alone,
On a cold Christmas Eve,
In a land far from home.

The very thought brought
A tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees,
And started to cry.

The soldier awakened,
And I heard a rough voice,
"Santa, don't cry.
This life is my choice.

I fight for freedom,
I don't ask for more,
My life is my God,
My country, my corps."

The soldier rolled over,
And drifted to sleep,
I couldn't control it,
I continued to weep.

I kept watch for hours,
So silent and still,
And we both shivered,
From the cold night's chill.

I didn't want to leave,
On that cold, dark night,
This guardian of honor,
So willing to fight.

Then the soldier rolled over,
With a voice, soft and pure,
Whispered, "Carry on Santa,
It's Christmas Day, all is secure."

One look at my watch,>
And I knew he was right,
"Merry Christmas my friend,
And to all a good night."

This poem was written by a peace keeping soldier stationed overseas.