Derek, Good on you lad!

One thing that was driven home to me in the forces was "lead by example" and that was a fine example indeed. If only one of those "men" up front of the bus realized what they were doing on that day because of your actions, and from now on will emulate you, than that's a success. If we all can get one in each situation like that to change their views a little, it's a success.

Like you, and many of you here, I always pay the proper respect where it's due. This is largely due to my upbringing in an outport Newfoundland town of a few hundred. Older men and ladies are called Sir or Mrs. surname, or quite commonly "Uncle" and "Aunt" regardless of blood relations or not. To a certain extent, this still holds true today where I'm from. The larger town by my small hometown, not so much, and in the City of St. John's, lesser still. I've often wondered if it's a lack of teaching from our parents generation (I'm born in '83 btw), or if it has something to do with the metropolitan mentality and lack of the close-knit ties and community that I see in cities versus "around the bay". Or a combination of both.

Hard to say for sure I think. Or at least, hard for me to say. I just keep living and acting as I was raised.

I'll echo a good comment here and say that I think it's up to those of us here that act as Men, to lead by example for those who don't know any better.