Canadian soldier beaten, attacker yells "'What kind of hero are you now?"

I decided that this was disturbing enough to not only reiterate but, also comment upon here in what seems so trivial of a forum in comparison to what is so important of a story.

Master Cpl. Collin Fitzgerald, whom recently returned from eight months in Afghanistan, and recipient of the Canadian Medal of Military Valour "for outstanding selfless and valiant actions" carried out on May 24, 2006, was visciously beaten by a group of bar patrons yelling "What kind of hero are you now?"

He says he'd been in the bar only about 20 minutes late Friday, visiting with a childhood friend who introduced him to people as a war hero, when he was suddenly struck from behind with some type of object. Four men jumped him and began beating on him.

Bystanders pulled the attackers off Fitzgerald and his friends drove him to hospital.

The weapons instructor at CFB Trenton, recognized by Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean on Feb. 19 for braving enemy fire in Afghanistan, had his foot broken in three places and needed 10 stitches to close a cut above his right eye.

Fitzgerald, 27, also suffered a broken nose and two black eyes in the Friday night attack.

"Whatever he hit me with, he could have easily taken out an eye," the soldier said. "What if he hit me in the throat? It could have been an artery." Fitzgerald is married, with a young family.

According to the military, Fitzgerald "repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire by entering and re-entering a burning platoon vehicle and successfully driving it off the roadway, permitting the remaining vehicles trapped in the enemy zone to break free."

"Collin was safer fighting the Taliban. At least he saw the enemy coming, or knew the enemy was there," said his mother. "They are just total cowards, nothing but snakes," said Gerald, Collin's father.

Fitzgerald will need at least a month to recover from his injuries. Several of his army buddies are still recovering from injuries suffered in Afghanistan.

"They don't realize how good we have it here in Canada and what we're trying to help the Afghan people have," he said of his attackers.

Ontario Provincial Police have arrested 21-year-old Travis Baldwin, a Morrisburg resident and hockey player, and charged him with aggravated assault. An investigation is ongoing. Baldwin will appear in Morrisburg court on May 1. CTV Ottawa has learned he may be the only person criminally charged in connection with the incident.

Now why this all happened is beyond me, I don't want to lay the blame on overzealous leftist anti-war types but, rather on those out there who despise the government so much that any of its representatives are a legitimate target.

I only hope they catch the other monsters involved in this despicable attack, and as for justice I'm thinking some nice 8 month tours in Afghanistan are in order. Don't you agree? Maybe then they can see what servicemen and women have to go through and sacrifice for their country.