A Urinary Track

So yesterday, I log onto the CBC website to get my daily quota of good wholesome Canadian news, when I see the headline of our number one story: Teen offers heartfelt apology for urinating on National War Memorial (and please note the name of the story in the URL: www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2006/07/07/peecharges.html). I’m thinking this can’t be right – THIS is our number one story on our national news network? A story about some drunk guys that probably stumbled out of Darcy's and had to relieve themselves. Then saw a block of concrete and thought that was as good as spot as any, and then some dude with a camera takes pictures of them and they get in trouble…

This is our number one (not local rag) National news story ?!?

Now please don’t get me wrong. I am in no way condoning defacing our National war memorial or any other memorials for that matter. Nor do I take for granted the tremendous acts of bravery, courage, and lives sacrificed by our armed forces for the benefit of our country as well as the peace and security of world as a whole.

But I just find it extremely bizarre that there is a place or an appetite for this story in national news. Ah the glory days when then House isn’t sitting, I guess. Are we all so desperate for something even remotely (barely, vaguely) controversial? Look at what our society has become! A few months ago our very own Stevie, leader of the True North Strong and Free was disrespecting women and men in uniform by refusing to lower the flag. Now it appears that our whole society has drawn exponentially from Stevie’s example and is running amok, desecrating national war monuments…

After a bit of reflection though and reading today’s US papers, despite the fact that I find this whole thing parochial, I started to compare our leading news story to the headlines down here (all courtesy Fox News): U.S. Investigators Ask to Exhume Body of Alleged Iraqi Rape Victim , Evidence of Broader Plot Found in Guantanamo Suicide Investigation , FBI Thwarts Terrorist Plot Against NYC

Compared to these, I’d take peeing on monuments any day.