In less than two months time, someone extremely dear to me will be leaving our peaceful country to fight for the rights of those relatively helpless against the Taliban. While you roam the streets comfortably in a country where you can feel free to voice your opinion without fear of violent retaliation, my fiancé will be working hard to empower others with that same freedom. By removing my magnet from my car, you have stripped me of my right to support the man I love. Understand that by doing this you are simply Taliban by a different name. You have every right to your opinion on Canada’s place in foreign relations, but it is not your place to force that opinion on me or others. We must all come to our own conclusions – and there is no other group in the world that wants to see an end to the war in Afghanistan more, than that group made up of the relatives left behind. Know that you have not just taken away a piece of plastic – that magnet means so much more. It is one of the few ways in which I can show my fiancé that I’m supporting him. Whenever he sees that magnet he is reassured that I am behind him 100%. When I see that magnet on someone else’s car, I say a little prayer and I am reminded that I’m not alone in my fears – that someone else will go to sleep tonight wondering if their loved one will come home this year. When our soldiers are halfway around the world, coughing up dust and doing their damndest to evade roadside bombs, it is the images of Canada and our yellow ribbons that give them the will to persevere. When you take away one of those magnets, you leave bitterness in its place – your display of theft is a tremendous slap in the face to our troops and the 77 friends that they have now lost. Taking away this symbol of support has not only enraged me, but has served to strengthen my resolve to stand behind my fiancé. A polished new sticker is now securely affixed where the old magnet sat earlier today, and I will continue to wear red every Friday to show my interminable support. Sadly, I am certain that you and those like you will continue to strip people of their rights to display their love and support; but understand that this will do nothing to deter us – absolutely nothing. The next time you consider removing a “Support Our Troops” magnet, please think twice. Your actions are more than just a political statement; they are incredibly hurtful and are ultimately detrimental to your cause.
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