Wishing for peace, seeing war, war prep and a Monarch

I turned on the "The National" on CBC last night and was rather shocked by the orgy of war that I saw there. I knew that the Queen was here. I knew that there was a sailpast/review and I knew that 5,000 sailors and 28 ships including plenty of "foreign vessels" were in or coming to Halifax Harbour.

But, following the abuse of police powers (The police chief even lied to the press and so far has not been fired, which I find incredible) on the weekend, in Toronto, the view of 28 large "warships" passing ion the harbour was almost more than I could bear.

I felt like I had fallen into some militarized future - and then I realized that the future is now, and the future is here - and I am feeling unsure what to do to make the world more peaceful. . .

Even the language is not tolerable - "an Armada of Warships" According to the National Post:

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip received a royal salute Tuesday as they boarded the frigate HMCS St. John’s in Halifax harbour to review the large armada of warships assembled to mark the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Navy.

Seventeen foreign warships — including the British aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal and the American carrier USS Wasp — arrived here last week to join the Canadian navy in celebrating its 100th anniversary.

The city’s waterfront bristled with modern warships and is filled with sailors from Canada, the U.S., Britain, France, Denmark, Germany, Holland and Brazil.

Armada, warships and all this with a sense of celebration? Yes I know that it was a "birthday" party for the Canadian Navy - a centennial to celebrate but shouldn't this rather be a day of mourning? 100 years since we started a navy and too bad we still need one. . . that would strike the right tone. . . I felt like "in my day" - that this could not have happened but it probably did - I just feel like at least 25 years ago it would have been controversial. Why is it not? What are the ships for? (OK for the Canadian Navy - their latest mission was to help in Haiti - but that is not their main purpose these days) They are to hurt people aren't they? That is their intent - to kill, drown, maim, whatever - I just cannot see it as any different from cheering on the villain in a slasher horror movie.

Now not only did we have the centennial of a military force and celebrate it - but it was done with a royal review - really. . . a Queen? I don't have strong feelings about the Monarchy usually - as I understand it, it costs us nothing to have her as titular head of state (until she visits, I assume as our guest) so it is "weird" but who cares. . . but when one reads the Star. . .

From the Toronto Star:

No one does pageantry better than the British Royal Family, of course, but even by their standards, this was a spectacle unlike any other.

Not only did it fill Halifax Harbour, it took over Bedford Basin with a gathering of 20-odd warships from around the world. Frigates and tenders, aircraft carriers and corvettes, they waited patiently for the Queen to sail past and then gave her three rousing cheers.

Her Majesty, aboard HMCS St. John’s, stood in her viewing box as she passed each ship, an improbably tiny figure to be at the centre of such a vast undertaking. Even those normally immune to the appeal of military ritual could not help but be impressed by the sheer scale of the two-hour event.

Ships from Canada, Great Britain, France, Norway, Brazil, Germany, Holland, Denmark and the U.S. assembled for the occasion. With their crews lined up, in full dress uniform, all flags flying, they were an impressive sight. Even HMCS Cornerbrook, one of the ill-fated submarines Canada bought from the U.K. several years ago, managed to muster a degree of dignity on this memorable afternoon.

So, I am shocked at the orgasmic response of Canadian Media. . . and so far Dominion, Media Co-op, Rabble, etc have nothing - maybe it will just be ignored.

I do not regularly watch TV news anymore as the coverage and analysis is so bad - I used to be able to get some satisfaction from the CBC but they seem to have made a hard right turn (to keep their funding? If they want them gone no right wing news coverage will save them) and one has the feeling that Peter Mansbridge revels in it. (Senate appointment coming his way at retirement?)

Just another day of wishing the world could be different. Wishing we could be celebrating and mourning a very different set of activities and incidents.

And on a lighter note - thanks to Tony Tracey for sharing this link.