LOG CABIN CHRONICLES Federal fear tactic too transparent to fool West Quebecers LILY RYAN, WEST QUEBEC POST IN THE PONTIAC, QUEBEC | Each faces their our own fears. Fear is a challenge that helps push ourselves to new heights when we overcome them. Fear can keep us from progressing as perfect people. Words unspoken because of fear can fester inside and it is a lighter person who expresses themselves fully, overcoming fear.
Fear can be a distraction from issues of real importance. Each of us allows ourselves to be distracted by fear. Sometimes we see through the mirage created by fear. And as easy as it is to fall into the emotional distraction caused by fear, the distraction can be disastrous.
A year ago, a wave of fear rolled out from Mexico, blanketing the planet. The H1N1 Influenza A scare, as frightening as it was, caused far more suffering from the fear of illness than from the flu itself. I am writing from Mexico City, where my in-laws are from. The people here are outraged by the extreme reaction of their fear-loving government during the first weeks of the flu scare. The people believe the government took advantage of fear, spreading it to cover up political irregularities such as the privatization of their public electrical company. Literally millions of people suffered economic devastation due to fear mongering on the part of their federal government when all businesses where closed. And now thousands of families are devastated by the loss of the public electrical company as so many jobs were cut. In Canada, we are experiencing a copy of Mexico's fear tactics. Having returned from a winter's vacation, Stephen Harper's government announced tougher measures to deal with crime -- as if this is the country's top problem. The reality behind this announcement is as empty as the boogie-monster under the bed -- and as laughable coming from a grown man. West Quebecers, Canadians, and the world see through this meek attempt to distract a nation with fear. Mexicans especially note the transparency of Mr. Harper's tactic. There are urgent matters of governance that are not being addressed, they are hidden behind this blanket of fear. Crimes in Afghanistan need investigation and redress immediately. There is also the pressing matter of creating a new economy by surpassing ecological goals set by Europe, the Americas, and Quebec. A fortune is sitting in the waiting for whichever society steps up to create (and sell) the solutions to the planet's environmental emergency. Mr. Harper would rather have Canadians locked up in their houses for fear of Ôcrime,' too busy watching TV to care about the business of our nation.
Copyright © 2010 Lily Ryan/Log Cabin Chronicles/03.10 |