I heard on the radio the other day that 4 out of 5 Canadians felt that Canada should remain neutral in our position between Israel and Hezbollah and not take a stand like Harper, our prime minister. Now, I admit, I only caught pieces of it as I was racing around doing errands however I could not believe my ears. I would definitely like to know what exact questions were asked and who was polled. Did they only poll prisoners?
The discussions I hear, media reports I read, and our government opposition parties seem to think there is debate over who is wrong in the Israel/Hezbollah conflict. The argument seems to be that if Canada is not neutral, they cannot be peace keepers and cannot be in a bargaining/negotiating position for peace. Recently, the police "negotiated" with a pedophile to get him to release a kidnapped child. Should society and our prime minister say that pedophilia is not wrong so that negotiations can be made? Are you kidding? Do you think that there was really negotiation going on? Do you think that the guns police were holding and their threat was not conducive to these "negotiations"?
Here is my take on the situation (bear in mind that I quit smoking a couple of weeks ago so I have no restraint on my rant):
Has the world gone CRAZY? What the heck are they THINKING? 4 out of 5 Canadians must be idiots. Our government opposition parties are completely WACKO!
Okay, so now I will attempt to clarify my position calmly however if you are reading this with an alternate position, don't bother - you are one of the 4 idiots.
I try to be a reasonable person. I don't like people that are too judgemental. I believe that there are two sides and many grey areas. However, there is right and wrong that cannot be argued. Rape is wrong. Serial Killers are wrong. Pedophilia is wrong. Need I go on? There may be all sorts of warped reasons that people do wrong things but there is not doubt that it is WRONG and cannot be tolerated in society. These examples of WRONG are evil because they abuse the innocent. They take away basic rights of security and survival from other people. In my unfocussed, cranky nonsmoking internal fight against addiction, I can clearly see this.
Terrorism is wrong. Hezbollah is not a country; it is a terrorist organization. Hezbollah targets innocent civilians and uses them as human shields. Hezbollah has stated that it is not looking for negotiations or settlements. They are looking for the removal and destruction of a country. They are attacking this country with that in mind and we villainize Israel for protecting itself. Should we villainize the police for protecting society from the pedophile? Actually, a better analogy would be if the police had not gotten involved at all to recover the children of the pedophile and just let the family negotiate on their own. What if the police actually villainized the family for taking up guns, etc? What kind of negotiation would there have been with the pedophile if society was saying that the family was wrong for protecting itself in this situation? Unbelievable. The world has gone crazy.
Thankfully, there are at least 1 out of 5 Canadians who agree with me and others out there. Read Victor Davis Hanson on The Brink of Madness.
Friday, August 04, 2006
4 out of 5 Canadians are Nuts
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16 comments:
Hey, you should write more when you are in nicotine withdrawal.The Western Standard also has some excellent articles on this issue.
It would be interesting to do a "cross belief study". I would bet that the same people who think we should live in harmony with coyotes in the city even though they are eating our pets and biting our children will side with Hezbolla. Which side would they be on if a 16 year old kid kept poking the neighbor's dog until the dog bit him? Which side would they be on if the hikers in the mountains fired pellet guns at the bear until the bear attacked them? I think it would be a great project for an undergraduate in sociology or psychology. Chances are that if not "crazy", we would certainly find that most people are totally inconsistant and irrational.
More of us have to speak out----good on you!!!
And hiding behind and using civilians as sheilds to advance your cause is wrong. In Canada I believe this is called "taking hostages" and is considered wrong (but the hostages often become sympathetic to the hostage taker---Stockholm Syndrome). But our MSNM daily slants the news so that as a compassionate people we try to appease the enemy and save the innocent because it is a humane thing to do. The MSNM and the Opposition Parties exploit the humanity of the people of Canada for their own political and personal gain (just a minute, isn't that sort of how Hezzbola is using the Lebonese civilians?). Little wonder that the MSNM and the Opposition Parties play down Hezzbola's barbarism.
Anonymous: I appreciate that you think you have reasoned this through and tried to explain this reasoning. However, we are not talking about average neighborhood arguments here - unless you live beside the Hell's Angels. Consider your reasoning again. Hezbollah is a terrorist organization. Hezbollah is not looking for a "diplomatic" solution. There is no land, policy, etc that will "appease" a terrorist organization whose sole goal is to destroy. Perhaps you believe you can get them to register their guns but think again.
Hezbollah did more than kill 8 American soldiers - they were bombing Irael as well. Israel is defending itself - pure and simple. Do I feel for the Lebanese? Of course but they have stood by and let Iran/Syria use Lebanon as a base for Hezbollah. If they truly were innocent, they would be working with Israel to get rid of Hezbollah for the sake of their citizens. Hezbollah are killing Lebanese.
Lets look at your little analogy again. If Canada harbored Hezbollah in, say, Pinscher Creek and Hezbollah ran armies of terrorists throughout southern Alberta, building hospitals on top of munition piles and bombing the US from here, using Canadians as human shields and setting up missiles from High River backyards, I would not blame the US for bombing Southern Alberta. If Canada stood by and did nothing about the terrorists within its borders terrorizing its own citizens and attacking another country from within its borders, then it is not the US that is to blame. The US should not have to have its citizens die from an aggressor in another country. I feel for the innocents in the crossfire but put the blame where it belongs - on Hezbollah.
I heard a quote the other day on the radio and it is something to consider:
If Hezbollah laid down its arms, there would be peace. If Israel laid down its arms, it would be destroyed.
Also note: Israel announced where it was going to bomb and gave citizens notice days in advance for Lebanese to leave their homes. There is some talk that Hezbollah would stop citizens from leaving. Is this on Israel's shoulders as well? This is not a war between two reasonable responsible countries. This is a war between one responsible country in self defense mode and a terrorist organization. This is NOT a grey area.
anonymous said...
Hezbella may be terrorists, however if a terrorist group in Canada kills 8 American solders and then American bombs the day lights out of Toronto, I think your opinions might change a little.
Um... if America bombs JUST Toronto? Hmm. Let me think on that a bit.
Hahahaha... just kidding!!!!!!!! C'mon, it was funny. Aw geez. Lighten up!
lmao.... good point! I mean the lighten up point... and the Toronto point!
I know it's not a laughing matter, those poor people. I pray for peace.
That said, if the Daily Show can joke about serious shit, I'm gonna too!!!
"Hezbollah is not looking for a "diplomatic" solution. There is no land, policy, etc that will "appease" a terrorist organization whose sole goal is to destroy." And where did you read that? No land involved? Correct me if I'm wrong, Hezbollah was created to fight the invasion of Lebanon by Israel in 1982. They as well do not believe in the state of Israel (1948 British Mandate, UN Resolution 181). I am pretty sure 'land' may have something to do with it. I am not condoning what Hezbollah is doing, I am saying that it is wrong to not figure out what their reason is. As you have demonstrated how easy it is to just follow the 'mainstream media'. "They are terrorists, they just want to destroy". Lets not look at their history or their reasoning.
It is not as if they are taking over a small unpopulated area in Alberta. They are bombing Beirut!
If an Indian can rid his country of the British without raising a finger do you not think there could 'possibly' be another way? (I am not saying this tactic would work, just that someone has the 'brains' to understand the situation and not commit the crime the 'evildoers' are committing)
"Bombing works, lets keep doing it". Evolution, we grow as a species, we 'try' to figure out other ways to accomplish goals/tasks. We 'try'. We don't retaliate a few days later and bomb the most populated city in a country because it works.
Question: Do you really think killing people is the only way to achieve peace in this situation? Hezbollah now has more support from the people of Lebanon than ever before. If Hezbolla is only a 'terrorist' organization do you not think that Hezbollah has already accomplished their goal? (Do you see the problems with acting so hastly?)
Terrorists is a term coined because nobody wants to look at the reasoning. Too difficult. Didn't we do the same in Salem with witches? "They are evil, lets kill them all!!!!". I am sure at that point in time they felt exactly as you feel right now. Have we learned anything from events like that? Doesn't look like it.
Mitchie: That was pretty funny ;)
Ahhh, but the mainstream media is not taking the same opinion I am. The mainstream media is villifying Harper for taking a similar stand to my beliefs. I also read someone who said that the mainstream media calls the Lebanese victims "civilians" and the Israel victims "Israelis". Believe me, I am not blindly following the media's opinion on this... you are.
I heard someone say this and it has really hit home with me: "When the terrorists love their children more than they hate their enemy, then we have a chance for peace". We are not dealing with our normal Western democratic mindset here.
You cannot compare the witch trial... witches were on the defensive. Using your analogy, Israel would be the witches as they are defending themselves; the terrorists are the aggressors. Would I prefer peace? Would I prefer negotiation? Absolutely however I fear and believe that terrorists are considering this as weakness. Israel is surrounded by tribal dictatorships who have no real goal of "fairness". The only way you'll get any negotiation is if you have them under the gun.
Someone had mentioned on another blog that perhaps Canada could negotiate with the Taliban. Unfortunately, this is laughable. What would we do? Agree to let them stop schooling women and they, in turn, will register their guns? I am afraid, my friend, that you are naive.
Ahh, ic.
Fear of demonstrating weekness?! My friend, you seem to be the one who is naive. For if we demonstrate compassion and understanding perhaps things will change. If not, then it would have been a sin not to try out of fear.
The only thing that seperates us from the beasts of the world is compassion. If we lose that, we are no better.
Thank you for the enlightenment! I must take my naivety elsewhere, perhaps to someone more empathetic/sympathetic and less afraid.
Anony.
Anony: I am extremely compassionate. I have also learned that just because I am, it doesn't mean everyone else is. Maturity teaches you to to consider another's mindset, not just your own.
I would advise you if you are looking for an empathetic and sympathetic mindset to stay away from anti-Israel pro-Hezbollah/terrorist mindsets. Anti-Semites do not have a loving soul.
Lanny,
Please direct me to my post where I have stated an anti-Israel pro-Hezbollah/terrorists mindset? That is offensive. Just another example of what I am saying, you don't understand, label it terrorism or a terrorist mindset. This is very dangerous. Being a 'mature' individual you must understand?
It is I who is considering another's mindset. I am trying to empathize with Hezbollah, not you. Please direct me to the posts where you are being empathetic? Please.
If maturity teaches us to consider another's mindset. By all means, provide me with an insight to the Hezbollah mindset, without saying "They just want to kill". Put some effort into it.
Israel does have a right to defend itself. No where have I said otherwise. I think it is wrong to shoot first ask questions later. Especially when innocent civilians dying is the byproduct. If anything I am asking Israel to be the bigger nation. Do you not expect more from your children than the neighbour's?
Anony.
Ahh, anony, thou dost protest too much. Please direct me to the post where I accused you of being pro-Hezbollah or anti-Israel. I have no idea who you are or what you believe. I merely stated that if you were looking for one, do not look in that direction. However, I do know myself and I have no need to convince you of my values or attributes.
I believe Israel has consistently and constantly been the "bigger" nation. They have been attacked many many times over the years and still negotiate to give back land etc that they have rightly won in these wars. On the other hand, how many deaths do Israel have to constantly take on? As far as the terrorist mindset goes, I can't begin to comprehend the "why's" of it. I can only recognize that terrorism is truly a danger to our society and democracy. As I said, there are many greys in war, politics, etc but to me, Hezbollah, as a terrorist organization whose goal is to kill civilians, is unquestionably wrong. It is black and white. Any deaths that the Lebanese and Israel suffer are at the hands of Hezbollah, not Israel.
My problem with the entire Hezbolah thing is the following:
1)The present border between Israel and Lebanon is recognized as an international border and was determined by, I believe, by a reasonably "fair process"; This border was crossed and Israelis were killed and kidnapped.
2)Israel withdrew from Lebanon and the violence againt her remained or increase while Hezbollah, apparently, along with Iran, have declared Israel does not have the right to exist. This certainly would be a deterent for me to "turn the other cheek" if I was an Israeli.
3) In the face of this, during the last years since Israel has vacated Lebanon, Hezbollah has been building millitarily, in Lebanon, in the populated civilian areas.
4)Hezbollah has only two or three seats in the Lebonese parliment, but basically controlls the military and, I understand, the communities policing (they are already acting as the "social safty net" in the communities. Apparently the government has little to do with community aid).
5) Unfortunately they seem to believe that they are helping these same people with "eternity" when they use them for world wide sympathy for political gain (and it seems to have worked).
6) Finally, they concern me because I don't see any way to deal with a growing power that does not seem to support the concept that this life should be "given" for a cause, and that cause involves the destruction of a defined group of people.Witness the fact that announcements of Israeli deaths raised cheers (as did the destruction of the twin towers and 3000 inocent people), but I haven't been aware of cheers going up in Israel or the U.S. when Lebanese civilians are killed.
7) Most of us want some control in our lives. So far Israel has only experienced more mayhem with negotiations including withdrawal. When your existence is at stake, it is hard to keep trying the same solutions when Eistein stated: "Stupidity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting the same result". The question then becomes; How many times and for how long do I keep doing this before I have to admit this is not working, or as Dr. Phil says: "And how has that been working for you". The lives of the Lebanese lost in this war is a failure of things tried "to date", and a human disaster. Unfortunately, I don't think Anyone has any answers, but perhaps we should try to understand their mindset. It may bring out a tolally different approach, and I suspect not an attempted solution that will sit well with any of us.
I'm not going to be easy or "reasonable" here.
The kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah was a dumbass stunt of the first water.
Lebanon is not Hezbollah. They don't "tolerate" Hezbollah so much as do not have the means to either control or expel them.
Israel says theincursion was by way of severe encouragement to get their act together.
Can't only has one meaning : Won't isn't it ( despite common confusion ).
There is no simple right answer in a situation like this. Justification is not something easy to come by.
I agree, in war, it is very difficult and the horror in our history is mankind's ability to "justify" almost anything. However, I maintain, when talking about terrorists, the greys are not there. Hezbollah has been targeting Israel civilians prior to the "dumbass" kidnapping of Israeli soldiers. The kidnapping was the final straw, not the only issue.
As Larry Cox from Amnesty International says when accusing Hezbollah of war crimes, "Targeting civilians is a war crime. There's no gray area"
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2006-09-14-amnesty-hezbollah_x.htm
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