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Terror in Canada

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Global Citizen
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Terror in Canada

Post by Global Citizen » Wed, 07 Jun 2006 8:41 am

In case some of you missed it, police in Toronto, Canada unveiled a plot of terrorism and arrested 17 people said to be inspired by Al Qaeda.

Here's 1 link: http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/ameri ... da.terror/

Needless to say, this has shaken up Canada as the threat of terrorism which has always loomed large but somewhat in the background is now brought back in refocus again as radical and extremist Muslims egged on by their violent idealogy and misguided interpretation of Islam attempt to take matters into their own hands.

There has already been a backlash in Toronto as vandals smashed windows at a mosque. I'm getting this sick feeling in the pit of my belly as I'm once again reminded of 9/11 and the terribly turbulent times we are living in. How safe are we really?
Last edited by Global Citizen on Wed, 07 Jun 2006 10:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by earthfriendly » Wed, 07 Jun 2006 9:11 am

Terrorism is a fact of life in the 21st century. We just have to find a way to deal with it. The sad thing is, how many innocent and law-abiding muslims will become targets of hate crimes, as a form of retaliation against muslim terrorists. The cold war has ended but it is in turn replaced by another kind of war. Is it human nature to act war-like? Seems like there's always some kind of war going on in different parts of the world.

Speaking of which, I think there's a domestic war brewing in my household. I may start a war with my poor husband tonight after he returns from work. For the next 3 weeks, my daughters have to stay home with me as the daycare is full. Today is only the first day and I can already feel the toll on me :cry: .

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Post by Global Citizen » Wed, 07 Jun 2006 9:23 am

earthfriendly wrote:Terrorism is a fact of life in the 21st century. We just have to find a way to deal with it. The sad thing is, how many innocent and law-abiding muslims will become targets of hate crimes, as a form of retaliation against muslim terrorists. The cold war has ended but it is in turn replaced by another kind of war. Is it human nature to act war-like? Seems like there's always some kind of war going on in different parts of the world.
Too right. The actions of a few impact society at large. What bothers me also is that anyone who looks like a Muslim can also be targetted as in racial profiling. The Muslims in Canada look a number of ways much like the US and bear some similarities to Indians.

In the past in the US, an older Sikh man was mistakenly attacked because he "looked Muslim" because of his traditional turban and beard.
Many Indian youths in Canada will now also be looked at with suspicion and distrust and this is where it can really spiral downwards and out of control.
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Post by Wind In My Hair » Wed, 07 Jun 2006 10:03 am

GC, i feel for you, and am sure you are concerned about your family's safety. these things make me feel so helpless and out of control, and perhaps our best defence is to live each day such that if life were taken from us we would have no regrets. take care, girl.

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Post by guruvishwanath » Wed, 07 Jun 2006 10:07 am

And I blame George Wanker Bush and his coterie of nut heads for this entire mess! Its bad enough to be labelled as a terrorist buts it worse when the innocent feel the brunt of it. But what to do? I have seen this happen to my colleagues who had to face the humiliation of being rejected for a visa just because they are muslim. My counterpart in India wrote a stinker to the ambassador not mincing his words and accusing them of being racist and xenophobic. :-| Talk about getting riled.

When I was growing up, my best buddies were muslim. Heck! I used to go to the mosque not to pray but because it was a valid excuse to cut classess on Friday afternoon. My folks were more than ok with me venturing into what is usually considered a sin. I come from a strict hindu brahmin family but my folks never ever forced us to follow the norm. My friends used to hang out in my place every evening after games to have juice or snacks! They were always invited for any function in my house and they get front row seats with me. And vice versa!

I remember when my good friend got married. Traditional muslim wedding, the whole 9 yards. I was not able to make it as I was here in Singapore. My parents went for his wedding. It was a huge deal because trust me when I say traditional muslim weddings in India and dinner time are a very messy affair. The food is kept in the middle of the table on a HUGE plate and you just use your hands to serve and eat. But my folks being strict vegetarians were served veg dishes. I was so grateful to my folks for not making a fuss about the whole thing and honoured my friendship and respected the importance of it.

I still am their good friend and we spoke about the world today over a bottle of Old Monk Rum. The only thing we promised to each other was never to let religion be the cause of breaking us apart. If only the world was that easy! :???:

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Post by Global Citizen » Wed, 07 Jun 2006 10:15 am

Wind In My Hair wrote:GC, i feel for you, and am sure you are concerned about your family's safety. these things make me feel so helpless and out of control, and perhaps our best defence is to live each day such that if life were taken from us we would have no regrets. take care, girl.
You're right WIMH. I am concerned for my son as he's the right age (in the profile) and he's alone there while I'm here. I do need to shake this feeling off though and will talk to him about being careful.
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Post by Global Citizen » Wed, 07 Jun 2006 10:49 am

guruvishwanath wrote: The only thing we promised to each other was never to let religion be the cause of breaking us apart. If only the world was that easy! :???:
Guru, fundamentalism in religion and the depths to which some will sink to for martydom scares the bejesus out of me. I'm beginning to believe that Marx was right all along.
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Post by one843 » Wed, 07 Jun 2006 12:07 pm

Every religion out there has there own radical followers. Muslims have them, Catholics have them, Protestants have them, Mormans have them, Christians have them. Some lash out there interperatations of there beliefs to other religions. Some spread there radical beliefs to others in there own religion.
Some examples are Osama, Eric Rudolph, David Koresh, Hitler, Jim Jones.
I am willing to bet there has been more people killed by extreme radicals of all religions before most of us where ever born. It is a fact of life. Nobody is to blame for it. It will never go away. All we can do is to make sure we are vigilant and make sure we know what is going on around us.
When ever I go somewhere where there will be a good number of people gathering I always immediately figure out an escape plan incase anything happens. ANything means terrorism, fire, tsunami, riot. We are all subject and at risk of these things everyday but we do not think about them untill they appear. Terrorism on the other hand everybody is always worried about it. The tsunami that hit SE Asia killed more people than the 9/11 and the London bombings and the Indonisia Quake 2 weeks ago. What is most likely to get us usually does not hurt as much as what we never thought would happen.
Another thing I did to be safe here in Singapore is I picked a condo that only has one tower and is only 12 storeys. Why you ask? Smaller target?

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Post by ksl » Tue, 13 Jun 2006 5:35 pm

Every religion out there has there own radical followers. Muslims have them, Catholics have them, Protestants have them, Mormans have them, Christians have them. Some lash out there interperatations of there beliefs to other religions. Some spread there radical beliefs to others in there own religion.
It maybe quite true that every religion has there own radical followers, But only one religion is bent on Jihad, and killing indiscriminately, in many Countries lands.
I am willing to bet there has been more people killed by extreme radicals of all religions before most of us where ever born. It is a fact of life. Nobody is to blame for it. It will never go away. All we can do is to make sure we are vigilant and make sure we know what is going on around us.
Of course someone is to blame for it! It may not go away, and this is why it is up to the Islamists, to seek out and destroy this evilness,in their religion. Who is best at giving factual information! Who is best to visit the radical teachings! Who and why are there sympathisers, instead of acting to stop death and destruction.

I also have muslim friends and feel deeply shocked at the backlash, that innocent people suffer. Yet many of my muslim friends don't want the risk of getting involved.

These acts of violence on the innocent are indiscriminate, and i believe to be more racially motivated, the terrorist is just adding fuel to the fire, for these groups to go out and bash anyone, that is coloured, and in some cases even whites are attacked.

I believe that it is everyones responsibility to be the eyes of justice, and to report on anyone preaching radical religion, racisim, or anything that disturbs the peace.

Lets not forget the terrorist! What is it they are actually fighting for.

Bush & Blair are maybe the instigators of the war, yet the muslim radical has been planning and schemeing for more than 50 years, and have had the time to build a following, with arms and explosives. It was only a matter of time for the crisis to break out.

Government experience in UK shows you cannot beat the terrorist and that is why they were invited into parliment, how do you think all the victims of terror felt, when the government did this. However peace is the most important thing, and talking is better than killing.

What can we all do to help? Minimise the risk, by being alert and reporting the slightest words on radical change, one must ensure that the terrorist keeps his thoughts to himself, and unable to recruit, and the muslims have this capability.

Even sympathisers are wrong, to sit back and let it happen, when more innocent people become the victims of hate, because of the terror.

Groups in all Countries should be formed by governments to rid this terror, by infiltration of radical establishments, and governments need to bring these people to the table for talks.

One cannot brand people or Countries has terrorists, this is Americas downfall. America and UK must take the blame for many wrong doings, But the Islamists must also realise there are innocent people to consider.

Peace everyone! GC radical ways and racism is in most Countries and my own son, was also attacked in Denmark for his black hair, or because we socialised with mixed races.

I myself have had strong debate with hitler youth in a bar one night, I was not attacked, but they did insult me, for several hours, they are entitled to their opinions, it is a very small minority of a wonderful Country, and i can honestly say, i have been more worried in UK, from my own kind.

Hooligans don't need a cause! They are the brainless rejects of societies that have pyschological problems of one kind or another.

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Post by Global Citizen » Wed, 14 Jun 2006 5:47 am

ksl wrote:

Peace everyone! GC radical ways and racism is in most Countries and my own son, was also attacked in Denmark for his black hair, or because we socialised with mixed races.
So very sorry to hear about your son, KSL. This has got to be one of the scariest things for a parent to bear. I am sick and tired of this never ending violence that permeates society like a virus.

Bottomline is: Moderate Muslims need to make a stand collectively against terrorism and superpower(s) of the world have to curtail the urge to intervene in countries under the guise of altruism while furthering their own dirty agendas. As far as racism, I doubt we'll ever be able to eradicate it completely but we can certainly lead by example in exercising tolerance and open mindedness towards those different from us in ethnicity.
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