In Memoriam: RCMP Officers Mayerthorpe

Bumped up; new posts are below.


No death makes sense to those left to mourn. We remember; that is all we can do.

Death

Nor dread nor hope attend
A dying animal;
A man awaits his end
Dreading and hoping all;
Mny times he died,
Many times rose again.
A great man in his pride
Confronting murderous men
Casts derision upon
Supersession of breath;
He knows death to the bone--
Man has created death.
W. B. Yeats

Departure in the Dark

Nothing so sharply reminds a man he is mortal
As leaving a place
In a winter morning's dark, the air on his face
Unkind as the touch of sweating metal:
Simple goodbyes to children or friends become
A felon's numb
Farewell, and love that was a warm, a meeting place-
Love is the suicide's grave under the nettles. . . .
C. Day Lewis

For the families of those four young men, sons, brothers, fathers, husbands, I tried to find some music that might be uplifting. After listening to several versions, I thought this was the most stirring. This is the closest I could come to something that might touch your hearts and help heal your sense of loss and emptiness.

Musica Criolla: Choral Gems from Argentina

Product Details
Composer: Oscar Sixto Bareilles, Ariel Ramirez
Conductor: Conjunto Nuevo Mundo
Performer: Conjunto Nuevo Mundo, Coro Hispano de San Francisco, Juan Pedro Gaffney

Label: Pro Musica
Audio CD (May 1, 2000)
Number of Discs: 1
ASIN: B00005BHRZ
Average Customer Review: *****

You may scroll down the page to find a link so you may listen to the samples. I find it uplifting; I hope you do too. NJC



Statement by the Prime Minister on the anniversary of the murder of four RCMP constables near Mayerthorpe, Alberta
March 3, 2006
Ottawa, Ontario

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the following statement on the anniversary of the murder of four RCMP constables near Mayerthorpe, Alberta on March 23, 2005.

“Today, on behalf of the Canadians, I wish to pay tribute to four brave law enforcement officers, who were brutally slain in the line on duty one year ago today.

RCMP Constables Anthony Gordon, Lionide Johnston, Brock Myrol and Peter Schiemann died while protecting the people of their community. All Canadians, no matter where they live, expressed their shock and sadness at these senseless killings. Now, one year later, we pause to remember their sacrifice and to reflect on the dangers faced by all law enforcement officers in Canada.

Our Government is committed to ensuring the safety of Canada’s communities. Specifically, that means making sure that those who break the law will face the appropriate punishment, and providing law enforcement agencies with the legislative tools and financial resources they need to protect Canadians. We will do our best to ensure that tragedies similar to the one which unfolded near Mayerthorpe last year will never happen again.

To the families and friends of the four police officers involved, I wish to express, on behalf of the people of Canada, our sincere condolences on your loss.”