Law, Crime & Justice

» BillStephens - Why terrorists? Why Canada?

Canadians pride ourselves on being fair-minded. We go to, what seems at times, extreme lengths to create a society that's all-inclusive and welcoming to all cultures with equal opportunity for all. Admittedly, we don't always make it. The treatment of native Canadians has notably been rather shabby. But we're trying.

So, where in all of this do terrorists find the means to nurture a group willing to do harm to the fellow citizens with whom they work, shop, and share many things in common. Yet, somehow, a group of radicals were recruited and launched on a deadly mission right in the heart of Toronto.

Fortunately, the Canadian police and security agencies were up to interdicting this particular group, but does that really solve the problem? My question is could we have prevented this group from forming in some other way?

You can understand (a bit) how people living under repressive regimes might be pushed to the point where they would embrace terrorism, but why here, where opportunities abound, as do avenues to redress ill-treatment and unfairness? Even if you were a radical muslim, would not your case be furthered more by waging a public relations war that presented your ideas and hoped to win the public over to your views? Why all the focus on hatred, violence,and the murder of innocents to the exclusion of all other possiblities?

I am baffled, frustrated, exasperated. Any wisdom out there?

Bill Stephens

-- posted by BillStephens

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» aemontague - Why terrorists? Why Canada?

One thing about trying to stick to the middle of the road is that we can lose sight of what may be lurking in the ditch waiting to pounce.

Lately we’ve strayed close to that a couple of times. Involvement in Afghanistan is one instance. Afghanistan has been a sinkhole for conventional armies for centuries -- think of the British and the Russian debacles, and probably now the Canadians and Americans. With that, right or wrong, the new Canadian government in Ottawa is cozying up to the U.S. in other ways. Clearly, Canadians are now perceived to have picked a side -- no more middle of the road.

Whether the allegations of an Ontario terror plot prove true, I don’t see the problem going away. On the other hand, living in constant fear probably won’t help. If anything, this would result in erosion of our civil liberties and leave us as mean-minded as some of our neighbors.

Baffling, frustrating, exasperating – you bet! Sometimes, however, I wonder if we’re looking at the wrong enemy.

-- posted by aemontague

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