Beware the Big Bad Terrorists
Upon hearing reports of "homegrown terrorists" in Toronto and area and also possibly linked to the England terrorists caught meer days later I felt two things-bored and confused. Bored because it's the same old boogie man story and confused because I couldn't figure out what I had just done with my Tim Hortons muffin (did I leave it on the roof of my car again?). I think it may be a case of the government who cried wolf. Is this just a scare tactic to get Canadians on board with America's War on Terror? Has the proverbial ant hill been magnified into a mole hill by the Harper government? Or am I just desensitized by the constant reports of terrorism and Orange alerts?
I recently traveled on business with a colleague who was of Indian descent but was born in Canada. I was so nervous for him because of all the horror stories I hear from a friend of mine who is an avid traveler but also of Indian descent. When he travels to the USA he is eyed with suspicion and contempt. Luckily though, my colleague got through without much fuss. But what are we, as a nation to do? Be fearful of any non white person who traipses through the airport? Or
signs up for flying lessons?
Upon returning from a trip to Boston, I was instructed to remove my shoes. I looked at the security office like he had just told me to flash the line up of people waiting. He wants me to WHAT? Walk in bare feet where others in their bare feet have walked before me? EWWWW! It's been almost a month and I'm still checking my feet for a veruca planteris (wart). God forbid any one tries to hide something in their underpants, then we'll all be obliged to drop trow and waddle through security.
Of course I haven't forgotten 9/11 (lest we forget) but aren't we breeding a world of paranoid, freaked out people? Anyone see Bowling for Columbine? There again with every step towards prevention won't these people take one further to attain their desired level of destruction? They're like a disease, a pandemic if you will, which adapts it's technique of infection with every vaccination that is developed. And how far can we go to protect ourselves? No wonder the percentage of the population popping Prozac has quadrupled. We are scared witless.
I suppose for now I'll keep taking my shoes off in security, cutting my airline chicken cutlet with a plastic knife and popping my Prozac.
I recently traveled on business with a colleague who was of Indian descent but was born in Canada. I was so nervous for him because of all the horror stories I hear from a friend of mine who is an avid traveler but also of Indian descent. When he travels to the USA he is eyed with suspicion and contempt. Luckily though, my colleague got through without much fuss. But what are we, as a nation to do? Be fearful of any non white person who traipses through the airport? Or
signs up for flying lessons? Upon returning from a trip to Boston, I was instructed to remove my shoes. I looked at the security office like he had just told me to flash the line up of people waiting. He wants me to WHAT? Walk in bare feet where others in their bare feet have walked before me? EWWWW! It's been almost a month and I'm still checking my feet for a veruca planteris (wart). God forbid any one tries to hide something in their underpants, then we'll all be obliged to drop trow and waddle through security.
Of course I haven't forgotten 9/11 (lest we forget) but aren't we breeding a world of paranoid, freaked out people? Anyone see Bowling for Columbine? There again with every step towards prevention won't these people take one further to attain their desired level of destruction? They're like a disease, a pandemic if you will, which adapts it's technique of infection with every vaccination that is developed. And how far can we go to protect ourselves? No wonder the percentage of the population popping Prozac has quadrupled. We are scared witless.
I suppose for now I'll keep taking my shoes off in security, cutting my airline chicken cutlet with a plastic knife and popping my Prozac.
posted by Blair A-E at 7:19 PM
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