^Thank you for making that point Mike. I dont think I could have said it any better. Ill get back to that comment, but first, I have some points on which to expand.
If these accussed persons stand trial, are found guilty, and sentenced, then the series of events that have taken place leading up to their arrests will have successful and the issue of terrorism will have been dealt with within the boundries of law and justice, as it should in a civil society. Terrorism exists in all societies of the world and will continue to do so. All a modern, intelligent society can do is handle it in a way that respects the dignity and human rights of of all people and be vigilant, but not not militant.
Canada by and large does seem to have adopted this model. This may well have been in part due to diverse cultural makeup of the country. Even in the past year we have seen many examples across the globe of racial tensions reaching a dangerous point and exploding. It took place in France, in the protests against Denmark, and of course Hurricane Katrina was another reminder. Yet, here in Canada, we have yet to see these kinds of events, despite the fact we are an international country with a diverse citizenry. We have not seen riots and even in the case of the Aboriginal Peoples, a highly marganilzed group of society, we are seeing more civil discussions taking place and no violence from either side (in any extreme or unnecesary form).
Keeping a multicultural society functioning is not easy. You do not simply put a hundred different cultures into one single city and without any assistance, expect it to work. It takes a lot of thought and work on the part of the individual cultures themselves, community leaders, politicians, government workers and policy makers, etc. When the 17 people were arrested, it ment that all affected groups needed to get together, discuss what was taking place, and make sure that they denounced what took place and make a rational plea for peace and civility. On the part of the RCMP, they must conduct their investigation in a truely fair manner so that this remains a trial about what 17 people may or may not have done or planned, and not about nonsense issue like racial profiling and whether Canada's National police agency conducted themselves in an unethical manner.
Im not really sure how the media has chosen to handle this issue or what paper is spinning what side. After a few days of reading hyperbole and spin doctoring I realized that trying to follow the story was pretty pointless as facts didnt seem to be relevant at this point and maybe in a month it will be possible to find out what has and is taking place.
Yet, despite some of the more predictable outcomes, Canadian society as a whole hasnt broken down, turned against Muslims, begun firebombings en masse, etc. The country (largely Ontario it does seem though) may be interested in the story but it appears that logic and Canadian sensibilities, at least in this circumstance, are prevailing.
So this leads me back to Mikes comment, and of course several other about shipping people overseas, and nuclear plants, etc, etc, etc. Given that these suspects have been apprehended, they are no longer a threat so long as they are in a jail cell awaiting trial. What does become a threat is when people start preaching fear based, xenophobic comments and fueling the notion of 'them' instead of understanding that a radical minority does not represent a civil minority. Just as it only takes one bomb to create an act of terror and fear over society, it also takes just one ignorrant, unintelligent person firebombing a Mosque or some stupid redneck shooting his Muslim neighbor to spark racial conflict in a society.
And just as it doesnt matter if an Al-Qaeda training camp is recruiting members using lies and false information, it also doesnt matter if your suburban neighbor is preaching hate and intolerance based on false information. In both cases, they will find people to believe what they have said, and spread it. Its this kind of lose lipped, ill informed, uneducated discourse that takes place in the aftermath of the arrests that is dangerous in a country like Canada where racial intolerance presents a serious to the stability of Canadian society.
Right now its not some radical, lunatic terrorist cell or some other group that worries me. Im more worried about cutting myself shaving before I go out on a date. Its the intolerance and border line hate that publications like the Sun and Le Journal De Montreal publish and the borderline retarded readers who believe the rubish. Its nice that we are being kept safe from terrorists, but is there any chance we will be kept safe from Jim from Pickering, who along with 3 of his buddies, a pickup truck, case of beer and baseball bat suddenly finds himself beating a Muslim person or smashing the windows of a local Mosque?
