While people all over the world marked the anniversary of the September 11 attacks - some by remembering the victims, others by promoting peace so that the tragedy is not used to fuel more hatred and death, our own Prime Minister used the day to forward his own divisive political agenda. Sadly, his agenda rides on promoting fear and division.
"Sadly, the threat of terrorism is still very much a global reality, including right here at home," Harper said. "No country is immune. "International and home-grown radical groups continue to pose a real danger to our safety, and we must remain ever-vigilant."
Certainly, we need to address threats of terrorism, but tying such warnings into a statement of remembrance on the anniversary of the attacks is crass and opportunistic. It is difficult not to view his overall statement as less than sincere.
I remember how the US encouraged its citizens immediately after the attacks not to give into fear because that’s what the terrorists want. They would like our lives disrupted, they would like us to spend money and time on quelling this fear, and they want us to react with anger and hatred. Those reactions fuel their propaganda. “See?” they can then say, “we told you they are our enemies.”
But in Canada, Harper wants us to be afraid, and he wants us to hate someone, anyone, so that he can portray them as the common enemy.
When we are afraid of this enemy, we are less likely to question how money is spent on defense. We don’t question sending our own to face death in other countries. We don’t worry as much about climate change, unemployment, or corruption within our own government.
We don’t resist when our own rights are violated in the name of security.
What a small minded, vile, hate filled man we have for a Prime Minister.
No comments:
Post a Comment