An Unsolvable Riddle?
Wait for it. You’ll hear it any minute now. Wafting over the airwaves, staring back at us from our newspapers, inundating our perceptions. Plaintive cries for tolerance and understanding. Chastising looks and comments from our political leaders as they beg us not to blame the entire Muslim community for these loathsome sub-human acts of depravity perpetrated against the British people. If you listen closely you will almost be able to hear the sound of the air moving as the media and our politicians spin around, turning their backs on the victims of Thursday’s terrorist atrocities in Britain and forming a tight circle of protection around our Muslim communities.
It happens every time an attack occurs. The victims become a subtext and those who share the aggressors’ religion become the main focus. Is it just me, or does anyone else feel like screaming: “I am not the racist. I do not hate Muslims. I do not desire the death of anyone. Do not plead with me to be tolerant. Because in doing so, you are assuming that I am not tolerant. I deserve more credit than that.”
I recall when Osama Bin Laden named Canada as one of the so-called Christian nations that should be targeted by terrorism. He also named Britain, Spain and the USofA – all of which have been attacked. One by one, the nations Osama hates are getting their comeuppance in the name of his god. Someday, it will be our turn here in Canada.
We truly are screwed. Some of us will surely die at the hands of these monsters. It is only a matter of time. We face an enemy that believes that any man who dies while killing those who do not subscribe to their radical version of Islam will be sent to paradise and given a bevy of beautiful virgins. I don’t know about you, but I’m not a radical Muslim. That makes me a target. They would kill me without ever knowing my name. A harem of virgins is a mighty powerful intoxicant.
Tell me, how do you fight an army that does not wear a uniform? How do you defeat people who believe that they fight for god and that everyone who does not worship their god must die? How do you fight a person who has been raised from childhood to crave the deaths of any one who is not like him while hiding like a cowardly animal amongst innocents? Such duplicitous, conniving individuals are capable of anything.
And, do not doubt it, this is not about poverty or capitalism as some may suggest. This is all about religion - a religion where certain radical adherents believe that all who are not like them must die.
Did the 9/11 terrorists scream “give us economic fairness - give us refrigerators and more food” as they ploughed their jets into the twin towers? No. They screamed “Praise Allah”. Everything they do is driven by what they perceive as justifiable under their religion. Do not listen to those who would tell you different. Just as the misguided adherents of Christianity were the enemy a thousand years ago as they killed those who rejected their god, the adherents of radical Islam are the enemies today. They do not want economic equality. They want us to convert to their religion or die.
Right here, right now, in Canada, we have radicals who subscribe to these beliefs. They live two lives. On one hand they send their children to our wonderful free Canadian schools. They enjoy free Canadian health care. They reap all the benefits of living in a free society created by us infidels. Infidels who welcomed them to live with us here as brothers and sisters.
On the other hand, while they smile at us on the street and take advantage of our tolerance and good will, they secretly plot against us and dream of the day when we are dead. They are here. They are among us. And they will attempt to kill us. Just as they killed the Americans, the Spanish and, now, the Brits.
There is nothing we can do. And they know this. It is their ace in the hole. We surely cannot demonize all Muslims. That would be horribly wrong. I have grown to know several Muslims in my life, one in particular is a kind and wise man. He is very active in his Muslim community and seeks to spread peace and understanding in all that he does. In many ways he is a better Canadian than most white people I know, including me. And there are many like him – Canadian Muslims who share nothing with the terrorists with respect to hatred, malice or insanity.
So what do we do? The enemy is among us and he is unidentifiable. Many here in Canada share the description of the evil ones while not sharing their evil beliefs. Yet, those who share their description risk being perceived as sharing their evil. It is a terrible quandary.
Unfortunately, it is a riddle that may not be solvable. A tolerant nation that welcomes all people into its midst takes upon itself the risk of welcoming those who hate us. A nation that denies sanctuary to anyone who shares the same religion as those who hate us is intolerant.
And yet, this is the choice that we must eventually face: Remain an open and tolerant society and accept the fact that our tolerance will inevitably cause death and misery among us, or limit our tolerance and possibly save Canadian lives.
It happens every time an attack occurs. The victims become a subtext and those who share the aggressors’ religion become the main focus. Is it just me, or does anyone else feel like screaming: “I am not the racist. I do not hate Muslims. I do not desire the death of anyone. Do not plead with me to be tolerant. Because in doing so, you are assuming that I am not tolerant. I deserve more credit than that.”
I recall when Osama Bin Laden named Canada as one of the so-called Christian nations that should be targeted by terrorism. He also named Britain, Spain and the USofA – all of which have been attacked. One by one, the nations Osama hates are getting their comeuppance in the name of his god. Someday, it will be our turn here in Canada.
We truly are screwed. Some of us will surely die at the hands of these monsters. It is only a matter of time. We face an enemy that believes that any man who dies while killing those who do not subscribe to their radical version of Islam will be sent to paradise and given a bevy of beautiful virgins. I don’t know about you, but I’m not a radical Muslim. That makes me a target. They would kill me without ever knowing my name. A harem of virgins is a mighty powerful intoxicant.
Tell me, how do you fight an army that does not wear a uniform? How do you defeat people who believe that they fight for god and that everyone who does not worship their god must die? How do you fight a person who has been raised from childhood to crave the deaths of any one who is not like him while hiding like a cowardly animal amongst innocents? Such duplicitous, conniving individuals are capable of anything.
And, do not doubt it, this is not about poverty or capitalism as some may suggest. This is all about religion - a religion where certain radical adherents believe that all who are not like them must die.
Did the 9/11 terrorists scream “give us economic fairness - give us refrigerators and more food” as they ploughed their jets into the twin towers? No. They screamed “Praise Allah”. Everything they do is driven by what they perceive as justifiable under their religion. Do not listen to those who would tell you different. Just as the misguided adherents of Christianity were the enemy a thousand years ago as they killed those who rejected their god, the adherents of radical Islam are the enemies today. They do not want economic equality. They want us to convert to their religion or die.
Right here, right now, in Canada, we have radicals who subscribe to these beliefs. They live two lives. On one hand they send their children to our wonderful free Canadian schools. They enjoy free Canadian health care. They reap all the benefits of living in a free society created by us infidels. Infidels who welcomed them to live with us here as brothers and sisters.
On the other hand, while they smile at us on the street and take advantage of our tolerance and good will, they secretly plot against us and dream of the day when we are dead. They are here. They are among us. And they will attempt to kill us. Just as they killed the Americans, the Spanish and, now, the Brits.
There is nothing we can do. And they know this. It is their ace in the hole. We surely cannot demonize all Muslims. That would be horribly wrong. I have grown to know several Muslims in my life, one in particular is a kind and wise man. He is very active in his Muslim community and seeks to spread peace and understanding in all that he does. In many ways he is a better Canadian than most white people I know, including me. And there are many like him – Canadian Muslims who share nothing with the terrorists with respect to hatred, malice or insanity.
So what do we do? The enemy is among us and he is unidentifiable. Many here in Canada share the description of the evil ones while not sharing their evil beliefs. Yet, those who share their description risk being perceived as sharing their evil. It is a terrible quandary.
Unfortunately, it is a riddle that may not be solvable. A tolerant nation that welcomes all people into its midst takes upon itself the risk of welcoming those who hate us. A nation that denies sanctuary to anyone who shares the same religion as those who hate us is intolerant.
And yet, this is the choice that we must eventually face: Remain an open and tolerant society and accept the fact that our tolerance will inevitably cause death and misery among us, or limit our tolerance and possibly save Canadian lives.
1 Comments:
Excellent post.
I'm struggling with the same issues and there are always more questions than answers.
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