The sound of courage

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By Rev. Glenna Beauchamp

      Rivers and Oak River United Churches

Hatred, cowardice and brutality make a lot of noise. They make as much noise as possible in order to get our attention.

The man who shot an unarmed Canadian soldier on guard at our national War Memorial and who tried to commit more murders inside the halls of our Parliament made a lot of noise. His actions shouted his message of fanatical intolerance for the values of freedom, peace, human dignity and our democratic way of life, but he was met by the calm courage of Kevin Vickers and his security team.

Law enforcement people responded with selfless courage and self-discipline, and millions of ordinary Canadian citizens met his terrible noise with a renewed sense of love for our country, which binds us together. Those whose thinking and actions are fed and fuelled by hatred, who commit cowardly acts of terrorism, have to shout because their case for a world as they imagine it is so weak.

On Nov. 11 when we stand in silence, honouring those who gave their lives to preserve our freedom, may we remember the courage, sacrifice and selfless service that is inside that silence. And may we affirm that this is far stronger than all the noise of hatred, cowardice and brutality that keep shouting loudly around us.