They shoot without shame
In the name of a piece of dirt
For a change of accent
Or the color of your shirt
Better the pride that resides
In a citizen of the world
Than the pride that divides
When a colorful rag is unfurled.
- "Territories," from Powerwindows by Rush. Lyrics by Neil Peart.
Patriotism is good. Understanding all the facts is better.
In reading about the “War of 1812,” I came to learn about the “Battle of York.” Not our country’s finest moment. Some of the troops burned parts of the city of York, which became Toronto. In turn, this was part of the reason the British torched Washington.
The War of 1812 has been called the “forgotten war.” In some ways, that’s understandable. As one writer quipped, if the name of the war is a year… On the other hand, it lasted three years and was fought on three different theaters.
Commemorations are taking place not only in our country, but in Canada. As this article notes:
An upcoming exhibit at the Market Gallery will identify 181 Canadian, First Nations, American and British soldiers who died in the Battle of York and will include artifacts from the battle itself, first-person accounts and maps.
The exhibit, dubbed, “Finding the Fallen: The Battle of York Remembered,” was put together in collaboration with historians and genealogists from Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.
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