Don Cherry effed up - he had a breakaway, an opportunity to shoot on an open net, and instead he chose to abandon the puck and cross-check someone on his own team.
Ask yourself - if someone is going to call you out about something, to shame you, to bully you, are you going to be inclined to listen to what they have to say? Not likely.
Ask yourself - when did you learn about Remembrance Day and poppies and war and sacrifice? If you were born and raised in Canada, or came here at a young age, you likely learned as a child in school. But if you are a newcomer to Canada, can you really be expected to know?
I was fortunate enough to be born and raised in Canada. I learned at a very young age the importance of Remembrance Day and the significance of the poppy. To recognize the sacrifices made to protect the rights and freedoms that I value. The need to never forget. It's something that I believe is truly important, and I feel it is our obligation as free citizens to support and give back to our veterans in any way we can. I also feel that we are responsible to educate others.
That's where Don Cherry effed up.
He had an opportunity to use his airtime and influence to educate. To invite newcomers to visit a Legion, to seek out any number of online resources, to attend a ceremony, to learn about Remembrance Day. He could've made a "Coach's Corner" ad to promote that education.
He had an opportunity to use his airtime and influence to encourage all Canadians, regardless of where they are in their citizenship journey, to purchase a poppy. To make a donation to veterans. To volunteer. To give back in any way they can.
Instead, he didn't just miss the net, he chose not to shoot. He chose to cross-check his own team - Canadians and people hoping to become Canadians.