I can’t make up my mind.

Like most Canadians, I suppose, I wonder about Canada’s participation in the war
in Afghanistan. That’s why I was most interested when I was assigned to photograph
Laurent Guyon. He’s a Canadian Afghan vet who got injured by a suicide bomber in
Kandahar City.

His story…..

Laurent’s platoon was on patrol when he noticed an Afghan man, about 60 years old,
in their midst. The old man had 2 children with him. Laurent wondered why the man
was there, where he wasn’t supposed to be. And what about the children? Just then
the man looked at Laurent, smiled, and pushed the button. Blew up. Four people died.
Laurent took most of the blast on his legs. A cow, which was sort of between him and
the bomber, saved his life.

Laurent was evacuated to Germany then to Canada. He’s undergoing therapy and will
walk again. I suppose he’s lucky.

The war…..

The observer of human nature in me says war is inevitable, one of the things animals like
us do. Almost a necessity given how primitive we actually are. Despite what our Egos may
tell us I believe we’re mostly Id…..it’s the primitive that rules us. Especially those who
seek power.

Having said that I hate it when I see young men and women coming home in boxes or
missing limbs or with their emotions all scrambled and hard.

But I also think that the Taliban are totally fucked up. I can’t stand what they stand for,
how they think their way is the only way. Fundamental subjugation of a people, blowing
up statues, enforcing sexist dress codes, stuff like that really, really sucks.

I try to go through my life treating others like I want to be treated: with good humour,
a touch of goofiness and pretty much trying to get along, ducking punches. I know, too,
that sometimes you’ve got to stop ducking and take a punch. I think that that’s what
Canada is doing in Afghanistan, taking a punch.

I can’t make up my mind.