Posted on 09/11/2004 7:27:51 AM PDT by Paul McKeever
On the third anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, I am reminded of the great sense of focus that those attacks brought upon individual freedom, and upon the importance to defend it. In the town where I reside, that same great sense of focus, and a sense of common cause with the USA, was reflected at the 2001 Christmas parade. Canadian and USA flags were to be seen marched side by side.
In the years and months that followed, in Canada, there grew a completely different sentiment. It was a belief that, if we don't speak ill of the people who are attacking free societies the world over, we may be spared a similar attack. We heard Canadians - even Americans - express sympathy for the motivations of the terrorists. We heard sympathies even with their politics of envy and hatred. And such expressions were always made side by side with a statement to the effect that "The terrorists won't bomb us because we aren't like the Americans".
With such an ill equipped system of defence in Canada, perhaps sympathizing with the terrorists was and is seen, by some, as the only alternative way to deal with their fears. For many, that sympathy is a subconscious mechanism for dealing with fear. Clearly, however, some opportunists have quite consciously attempted to harness fear for their own purposes. Whether out of a fear of attack, or out of love of collectivism, they have tried to make a rock-solid connection between "Americanism" and being attacked. By "Americanism", they almost always mean individual freedom and capitalism. The message they send: that we must oppose the USA, and all that its stands for, so that the terrorists will not bomb us. Put more bluntly, some are now preaching that we will be destroyed by terrorists unless we oppose capitalism and individualism.
My only fear is that some Canadians are successfully being coerced and manipulated by the manipulators of fear into embracing the very hell that the terrorists seeks to draw us into. In other words, the manipulators of fear are causing some Canadians to deal with their fears by voluntarily assuming the role of captive, and giving the terrorists the role of captor. It is a completely dysfunctional coping mechanism, and a dangerous and self-destructive one.
To all of those Canadians who felt great a commonality of cause with Americans and who, in the weeks and months following 9/11, were inspired by freedom and democracy, and thereby emboldened in their defence, I would send the request that we take a few moments, today, not to fear. Take a moment to reflect upon how we have been made to fear more now than then, and by whom. If it was not a bombing in Canada that has caused your bravery in the face of attack to be overshadowed by fear and caution, what was it? Was it the fears of and warnings from those around you that have caused you to be more tolerant, even understanding and forgiving of, the terrorists?
I submit that Canadians are being attacked not with bombs, but by the manipulators of fear who live amongst us. Those who hate freedom or democracy. Those who hate capitalism. Those who, perhaps for reasons even they cannot identify, think that they hate all things American. Those who want a communist or anarchist revolution in Canada. I would encourage you, today, to make the decision no longer to be ruled by fear; no longer to allow the fearful and the advocates of collectivism and anarchy to drive you to surrender your vocal defence of individual freedom, democracy, and capitalism in Canada.
Curse a terrorist today if it makes you feel better. But curse, also, that handful of opportunistic folks in and around Canada who have sought to manipulate you with your fears. Then smile, knowing that you now understand their game, and will no longer play it. Smile for freedom.
Finally, I would encourage you to share your fond memories of post-9/11 courage and unity by posting your related photos here. Here's mine, from the Christmas parade of 2001, in my town:
Welcome to FR. You're brave to use your real name.
Perhaps you should have posted this to the existing 911 Tribute thread. There is a search function.
Thanks headsonpikes. I'm still feeling my way around the discussion board. I guess I'll try reposting to the one you mentioned (the 911 Tribute thread).
Hey dude, this is where I hang out (same jodorowsky you know)
Welcome to FR, this is a GREAT group of people.
Hi jod!
Hello
Good to see you posting here!
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