Below is a news story I wrote for the weekly news show I anchor at CITR on Mondays. Normally, I don't watch the news but every second Monday I anchor the show so it cannot be avoided.
Many Canadians are outraged by what was said the other night on a Fox News show.
I do not believe this is the common opinion of Canadians. I know many Americans who respect Canada and see us as the wonderful, friendly neighbours that we are.
I'm also not at all condoning Canada's involvement in Afghanistan. If I had it my way, not a single Canadian soldier would have set foot of Afghani soil. But the coalition was apparently mandated by the United Nations.
Canadians have a great sense of humor and we are poked fun of in American television all the time. But there is a huge difference between making fun of our accents and insulting the Canadian military the night before the bodies of four fallen soldiers are brought home to Canada.
Had I not been writing the news yesterday, I might not have ever heard this story. And I wish I had not (which is one reason I don't usually watch the news).
But I want to add that Greg Gutfeld and the Fox News apology issued yesterday was a pathetic cop out. In a statement issued yesterday, Greg Gutfeld claims his comments may have been misunderstood. That is NOT an apology and I don't believe his comments WERE misunderstood. I'm sure his intention was not to anger an entire nation, but his comments were rude, ignorant, disrespectful, in completely poor taste and not at all funny. There's no misunderstanding that.
I'm looking forward to seeing an on-air apology from Greg and his pundits.
Let's band together as a planet. We are the human race. Scratch that. There is no race. We are HUMAN KIND. Let's be kind to one another and work together for the good of ALL mankind. Don't we deserve to be kind to one another?
As annoying and upsetting as this news story is, I want to send love to my American brothers and sisters, as well to the brothers and sisters who are suffering in Afghanistan. I'm looking forward to the day when not making the military our top priority is actually something that is celebrated.
Peace:)
Canada’s Defence Minister, Peter MacKay, is demanding an apology from Fox News, and the host and panellists of a late night comedy news show, "Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld.” If you haven’t seen the video on You Tube, you can search for the 5 minute clip, titled “How to Lose Friends and Alienate Countries.”
Lt. General Andrew Leslie, the Canadian Forces Cheif of Land Staff, recently said the military will need a one-year break from operations after troops leave Afghanistan in 2011.
In the show, Greg Gutfeld suggested the US should invade Canada saying our country has no army and that we, like most of Europe, rely on the military power of the US. He said Canadian troops are taking time off to get manicures and pedicures. One panelist said he didn’t even know Canada had troops in Afghanistan and another said Canada doesn’t have a ‘smart culture.’
Peter MacKay calls the comments crass, insensitive and disgusting, considering the recent loss of four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, bringing the death toll to 116. MacKay is demanding a formal apology not only from the Fox News network but from the show’s host, Greg Gutfeld and the guest panellists.
Fox News issued an apology earlier today stating that Greg Gutfeld says his comments may have been misunderstood and were not meant to disrespect the brave men, women and families of the Canadian military.
You can decide if his comments were misunderstood or not, just by searching YouTube for the video “How to Lose Friends and Alienate Countries.”
So far, over 11,000 people have commented on the video.
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