I attended the Remembrance Day Services, as I have each and every year, regardless of the city, town or village I’m residing in at the time. This year I attended in the Village of Keremeos.
I come from a family with a strong military background and I was involved with the deployment of non-military support personnel.
My family, as did so many others, fought for our rights and were willing to sacrifice their lives for this freedom.
There are those that will offer an opinion that will make your blood boil and as much as we may disagree, we will fight and defend their rights to offer their opinion.
At the service there was a local journalist beside me taking photos reporting on this solemn and special occasion. I couldn’t help but notice the journalist taking photos during the two minutes of silence as the clicking of her camera was the only sound that was heard.
This journalist was there representing the paper and reporting for those that could not attend. It is my opinion that the two minutes of silence should have been observed by her out of respect for the subject of which she was reporting on. I was appalled at this disrespectful behaviour.
Did she have the right to ignore the moment of silence - yes!
Do I have the right to voice my opinion on her behaviour - yes!
Please journalists if you are reporting on a delicate subject set an example and do so with dignity and respect. The people you are reporting on deserve it.
Shannon Haladay
Keremeos