What Cause Today?

I’m not sure who dreams up these ‘National-Whatever-Day’ designations. And I suppose if it weren't for the Internet, we'd never hear about half of them.

Apparently today is Family Literacy Day in Canada. Although literacy was one of Gordon Campbell’s dearest causes and loudest promises, the government quietly slashed funds for that too. The announcement was tiny. All I ever saw was this eensy notice in the Vancouver Sun. Campbell's government must have rethought the funding when they realized a literate populace might speak out against too many of their policies.

In the U.S., it seems to be National Chocolate Cake Day. As if I need more calories; I'm still fighting the leftover flab roll from Christmas.

If you poke around further, you'll discover that it’s also Thomas Crapper Day, observing the 100th anniversary of the death of the man credited with inventing the toilet (or, at the very least, marketing it). Whatever his role, I’m glad this device caught on, and am especially grateful for this contribution when it’s raining or snowing.

But then in Surrey, where I live, it’s a Day of Caring for Right to Play. This is an organization I believe in. I even made a donation to them, using money I saved by not buying lottery tickets.Ironically, even though they do so much to encourage athleticism by bringing the gift of play to children around the world, Right to Play isn't permitted to have a presence at the coming Olympic games. Something’s not quite right with that picture, but then, so what else is new.

Most notably though, it’s International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a day that requires all of us to pledge we’ll never forget. Unfortunately, I can’t give credit to the speaker, but I did hear a wonderful message regarding today’s observance. He said, “We must not be bystanders. We must be upstanders.” And to that I can only say, Amen.