Oh, CanADA!
At last, at long last. Canada takes a stand. This is Canada. Hear me speak. Honestly, without dissembling, leaving no doubt whatever. This is not the Canada at the dawn of the 20th century which saw nothing untoward about private postings of signs declaring "No dogs nor Jews" could gain entrance to private clubs or other pure establishments of what else? the establishment. This is not the Canada which instituted a strict quota on the number of orientals permitted to enter the country, nor the Canada which imposed a crippling head tax on the Chinese to permit entry. This is not the Canada, that vast wealth of geography which could not - sorry about that - find room in its heart to accept refugees facing certain death, because they were, after all, Jews. This is not the country that interred thousands of faithful Canadians of Japanese descent as "enemy aliens".This is not the Canada long ruled by a Liberal government whose every mealy-mouthed pronouncement left one wondering just exactly it was that was enunciated? This is not the Canada that so recently gave its kindly assent to one UN censure after another of the State of Israel. So what kind of Canada is this?
It is a Canada governed by a Conservative government. A Reform-Alliance-Conservative government, no less. Anathema! What Canadian would ever vote for such an unholy alliance? They have not yet, since they are but a minority government-in-jeopardy-of-long-existence unveiled their true vision, their real platform for this country. Surely they're racist, homophobic, anti-feminist, pro-rapacious-business, disinterested in the poverty-stricken among us?
This government apologized to Chinese-Canadians. It outlawed a terrorist organization, the Tamil Tigers, that the previous government was happily clubby with. This government appears on the surface to be interested in all its citizens' welfare, along with that of the country at large. I have yet to be convinced. I am interested. I have been somewhat impressed. This government, while pledging to restore trust between Canada and the United States has not hesitated to voice its own opinion, sometimes critical of the U.S. This government has refused to recognize and co-operate with (give money to) the Hamas government, unless and until it recognizes the right of existence of its neighbour.
And, wait! This government has unequivocally given its support to another, dreadfully beleaguered state which previous governments had been happy to keep at arm's length as far as moral support. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has inserted realism into a situation which calls for it. Mr. Harper has stated, and continues to state his reasoned support for the State of Israel to defend itself against intolerable provocation and deadly attack.
If CAIR Canada is critical of Mr. Harper, he must be doing something right. Oh wait a minute, something is troubling here; some Canadian Muslim groups are threatening to take their votes away from the Conservatives. Who knew they even voted Conservative? What's this? Some Lebanese-Canadians are furious that Prime Minister Harper is supporting Israel "without even knowing what is going on"?
Who exactly is it who is ignorant of "what is going on"? Cannot people view situations with an unbiased eye, to diagnose what truly is happening? Well, until they do so, how can such situations ever reverse? How about the utility of taking responsibility for things going awry when one's neglect is at fault? Why berate the country they have adopted as their own when it recognizes that their home country is responsible for its dilemma?
To recognize responsibility is a start toward behaving responsibly. Yes, it is horrifying beyond belief that people are dying so needlessly. This need not be so.
Canada is finally taking its rightful place among nations who support the legitimacy and the right of others, and works in support of such nations in a world which seems to have gone completely mad.
posted by Pieface @ Monday, July 17, 2006
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