Remain cool
Dear Republic:
I agree that most Canadians such as myself are probably totally unprepared, psychology or otherwise, for a major event, whether it be the next deadly climatic aberration, a major earthquake on the west coast, a bomb set off by a homegrown nutcase like the Oklahoma bomber or—one day—a suicide terrorist attack if, say, Canada’s foreign and military policies were to become increasingly undistinguishable from those of the US in places such as Afghanistan.
Yes, we have to be vigilant, but we also have to remain focussed and cool-headed. When Public Safety minister Anne McLellan says in relation to Canada’s vulnerability that "it’s not about who went to Iraq, I think it’s about transcendent global issues that go well beyond any specific action in Iraq," I don’t know what she is thinking.
My only response to her and the security establishment is that if Iraq isn’t a transcendent global issue right now, then neither was 9/11 or its scaled-down versions in Madrid, London and elsewhere.
- Roger Barany, Vancouver, BC
Questions?
Dear Republic:
Re: "Is Campbell a Made Man?" (The Republic issue 115).
Kudoes to you for bringing to the attention of those willing to read this article the fact that the neo-con controlled media have been giving Gordo a "free ride" by not pursuing anything that could be considered detrimental to the man, and/or his party.
I bought the Tyee book on the Liberal's shameful record for their first term in office and couldn't believe all the things that should have been reported, in depth, to the electorate. That goes from the fish farms, who already have cost us three rivers never to have naturally spawned salmon again, to the sale of leases to their monied friends to tap into the methane or coal gas reserves, involving irreparable environmental damage.
But the biggest shortfall is the total lack of meaningful questioning that should have been put forth, such as why is Mrs Campbell separated from hubby, and using her maiden name? What qualifications does Ms Dauphinee have to be Gordo's Chief of Staff, other than being young and presumably good looking? Is she worth the money that is being paid her, and why is there no hue and cry over her travel expenses? Shades of the Governor-General. And who is the father of the baby she was pregnant with? If it isn't Gordo, you would think that an announcement would have been made to eliminate any speculation in that area.
This whole Liberal pandering press thing is worse than any soap opera on TV, and you can certainly be correct in assuming that the war paint would have been in full force and effect by the media if any of these types of behaviour belonged to any person in the NDP or Green Parties. Shame on Global Communications and all their minions.
- Don Faulkner, Savona BC
No left, no right
Dear Republic:
I really enjoyed Kevin Potvin's piece about Joseph Stiglitz in issue 117, although I have one minor criticism. I'm always confused whenever people write about "the left" or "the right" as though they were these huge monolithic entities. For example, Potvin says that Stiglitz is constantly being "feted by the left," which I think is inaccurate. It's the same kind of lazy rhetoric that the so-called "debate shows" on CNN and Fox News use. One host represents "the Left" and one "the Right" and they spend the whole show defending their views as though they were the only two possible positions available. Maybe it's an American thing, but it's starting to infect Canadians too. Just look at the columns by Erin Arton and Bill Tieleman in that garish 24 Hours tabloid. One supposedly from the Right and one apparently from the Left, and together two of the most boring writers to have ever cut-and-pasted party rhetoric onto the printed page in an attempt to sell advertising. Their writing lacks any sign of a human being at work (I suspect they're robots) and they clearly don't represent anybody but the political parties that they speak for.
It's not like there's one Left and one Right. There are many different sides and perspectives within each, if we even want to use the concept of "left versus right" to begin with. To say that Stiglitz is feted by the left is very different than saying he is feted by a lot of leftist organizations, for example. Using phrases like "the left" or "the right" implies that each group is made up of identical individuals and that is simply not true.
This might seem like a trivial criticism, but I think it's important and one of the reasons why everything is becoming so stupidly partisan these days. People keep thinking that they have to be part of either "the left" or "the right" and therefore agree with everything their "side" espouses instead of thinking of themselves as an individual with individual opinions that may or may not be shared by other people.
Aside from this quibble, keep up the good work.
- Jacques Durden, Vancouver BC
Not dead yet
Dear Republic:
I enjoyed reading your article and in general I would agree that the actions of the Bush White House may in fact be the "beginning of the end" and the reasons you give, particularly the economic ones, could play an important role. However, having said that I think it pays to never underestimate the resolve of the American people despite what one seriously flawed President and his Administration have done.
In addition to the religious zealots currently inhabiting the White House the US has a great many potentially wonderful leaders that if given the chance by the electorate, could change the current course of the country. Unfortunately things will have to get much worse both in Iraq and on the home front before enough voters get their head out of the sand and start understanding what is facing them. Let's hope there isn't a massive recession any time soon because it will clobber Canada due to our over reliance on the US economy.
- Murray Robinson, Vancouver BC
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