Letter to the editor 4, Nov. 6, 2014

Dear Editor,

There were fourteen shooting deaths at the École Polytechnique 25 years ago. Were any of the young victims heroes? Not one of them. There is no being heroically in the wrong place at the wrong time. Their deaths are not less regrettable, the event less tragic, for that. J.B. ‘Fuzzballs’ Mann’s cartoon (October 30) is a reproduction of ordinary language purposefully made to go wrong.

Cpl. N. Cirillo’s heroism is a political invention. As that, it also is disrespectful to the point of insulting to everyone who has been honored for, or overlooked in spite of, actual acts of exemplary courage. Not that there was no heroism on Parliament Hill that fateful day. An unarmed House of Commons constable tried to wrestle the rifle from the killer. He was wounded in his effort. Nobody with a loud voice speaks Samearn Son’s name. Now why is that?

Richard Rothschild

Hudson