Activism

George Galloway is now permitted to enter Canada. His access was denied because he was considered a terrorist supporter by the Canadian Government. No, he did not detonate any bombs or launch an attack on innocent people. George Galloway organized a shipment of humanitarian aid to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. It is hard not to agree with the Federal Court’s decision to rule the Government’s ban of George Galloway as inappropriate and politically self serving when the Canadian Government itself also sent aid to Gaza.

What was really at play here was an attempt by the Canadian Government to prevent an outspoken critic of the war on Afghanistan from keeping his Canadian speaking engagements. There have been 152 Canadians killed in Afghanistan fighting for the rights and values our government is avidly trying to suppress. When I see people actively encouraging everyone to “Support Our Troops”, I wonder exactly what they are asking. The best possible support we can give to our troops in Afghanistan is to hold our elected representatives accountable for protecting the rights of ALL Canadian citizens and abiding by the laws of the land. If lives are going to be lost, they should be lost in support of our values as Canadians, not the political ambitions of our elected officials.

Entire political agendas and strategies are based upon our population’s general apathy and willingness to allow our naivete to rule our decisions and accept politically motivated propaganda. Activism is the key to reform and education is the key to activism.

“First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.” - Martin Niemˆller (1892 - 1984)