Watching the news today I saw footage of the demonstration against the invasion of Lebanon in Montreal and Toronto. Now I have no problem with people demonstrating against something, especially war but what I find problematic is this; using small children and teaching them hate. These small children were taught by their parents to chant things like "death to Israel" and carrry signs showing burning babies! Some were also carrying the Hezbollah flag.
I am not ever going to make excuses for the innocent loss of life, I know better. My Mom escaped Dresden during the worst bombing and have heard about it time and time again. But during all the telling of it I was not taught to hate as these children are. Read the story and you will see that there probably were lots of reasons I could have been taught to hate.
To read the whole story check out WWII Dresden Holocaust
My parents immigrated to Canada for a new start and didn't bring their hate with them. Now some you will say they were on the wrong side and therefore deserved to suffer. Does that then mean the Lebanese who support Hezbollah are on the wrong side and also deserve to suffer? Not all Germans voted for Hitler and not all Lebanese support Hezbollah but unfortunately as with the Germans, all will suffer.
Hate in all forms must be stopped and it can only come from the parents. It is they who teach the children and if they continue to teach the destruction of Israel then there will never be peace and the day will come when humankind will wipe itself out. The choice is clear.