June 13, 2006
Candian Terror
John Vinocur writes in Time Select (Subscription required):
Here's the skirmish line: establishment forces against renegades drawing the conclusion that when it comes to Muslim extremism and homegrown groups of Muslims engaged in anti-Western violence, Canada's self-definition as Not The United States (or France or the Netherlands — hey, the Canadians would never force assimilation on an immigrant!) is a conceit that shields this country neither from hatred or reality.The establishment's all-is-well reflexes can be extraordinary. After arresting 17 alleged Islamic extremists, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police insisted they "represented a broad strata of our community. It's hard to find a common denominator." Toronto's police chief, Bill Blair, even said, "I would remind you that there was not one single reference made by law enforcement to Muslims."
What does it take for some folk to understand that this is a war between civilization and the forces of darkness and islamofascism?
A tip 'O the GM Derby to No Pasaran
Posted by GM Roper at June 13, 2006 07:43 AM | TrackBackNothing in common? Nothing in common??
Weren't they all Muslim men between the ages of 17 and 40?
Posted by Mustang at June 13, 2006 02:10 PM
Well as an interested and this time actual inhabitant of the country in question, I can assure all that EVERYONE here knows exactly what the common denominator is in this case.
EVERYONE .
The media here is, of course, as abysmal as in our Southern Neighbour. Well actually perhaps more abysmal. Here we could consider the NYT as 'centrist', and CNN as 'conservative'.
But let's be frank, folks. What good would come from pointing fingers in public at the obvious? Unless we plan to proscribe the cult, and deal summarily with the members, the only logical course of action is 'softly-softly', in the hope that sooner rather than later some internal cleansing is carried out.
The 'elites',and their toadies in the media, may be clueless, spineless, and tendentious, but I don't think our current Prime Minister is either. He seems a very tough nut.
Canadians as I said understand perfectly who the ENEMY is. We are just giving the 'moderates' another chance to demonstrate that they are willing and able to flush out their own stables.
EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE, is doing exactly the same thing simply because unless in extremis, there are few other options.
Posted by dougf at June 13, 2006 07:42 PM
dougf, you have good points, but in another sense rather than, "It's hard to find a common denominator." Wouldn't it have been better to just avoid verbalizing such an glaringly obvious fallacy? They really should have stopped short of finishing it off with that statement. But that's just one woman's opinion.
Posted by Oyster at June 14, 2006 08:13 AM
Bill Blair may have hit on an excellent strategy here. I recommend we all take the tack of frequently pointing out "Hey, did you you notice that none of us mentioned that they're Muslim extremists?"
Posted by Assistant Village Idiot at June 14, 2006 06:59 PM
"What does it take for some folk to understand that this is a war between civilization and the forces of darkness and islamofascism?"
For some folk, nothing short of that awful, shrieking moment of truth as the islamist's scimitar meets the nape of their necks.
Posted by MerryMadMonk at June 15, 2006 02:44 AM
Now these mus*im men are claiming torture.
Expect human rights watch and amnesty intn'l to visit Canada soon.
Mus*im terrorists don't lie.
Posted by Ben USN (Ret) at June 15, 2006 03:02 AM
