It's a sickening act of terrorist violence that has shocked the world. Dozens of people killed in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. Slaughtered while they prayed, just because they were were Muslims. But don't tell Andrew Scheer that, because he couldn't even bring himself to use the word Muslim.
They are the terrorist threat Stephen Harper never warned us about. For while he spent almost a decade branding everyone from refugees, to environmentalists, to scientists and humanitarian groups, as potential terrorists and threats to Canada's national security. He completely ignored some of the most dangerous people in Canada...
It should be obvious by now that Donald Trump is taking the United States to a very bad place. And that the bigoted demagogue is stirring up ignorant and violent right-wing extremists all over that country. As well as being a poster boy for Islamic terrorists. So it should be no surprise that some of those crazy right-wingers are now acting like terrorists themselves.
And the anwer seems obvious. Nobody could have imagined somebody would want to murder such fine young people. And Norway wasn't a police state, and doesn't want to become one.
The prime minister of Norway acknowledged yesterday that his country had fundamentally changed as a result of the attacks on a youth camp and government complex last week, but he vowed to protect the culture of openness that is a source of Norwegian pride. “I think what we have seen is that there is going to be one Norway before and one Norway after July 22,’’ he said. “But I hope and also believe that the Norway we will see after will be more open, a more tolerant society than what we had before.’’
But still it's so hard to accept. And for some reason I can't help thinking of a video I saw recently.
And wonder why couldn't someone, anyone, or anything, have stopped that right-wing Christianist monster?
And where was the porcelain unicorn when we needed one so badly?
There was no porcelain unicorn. Nothing could have saved them from that fascist beast.
But at least those noble, idealistic, young progressives didn't die for nothing.
The right-wing threat has been exposed for all to see.
A monster so cruel and evil he would use dum dum bullets on helpless children.
Dr. Colin Poole, head of surgery at Ringriket Hospital in Honefoss northwest of Oslo, told The Associated Press the gunman used special bullets designed to disintegrate inside the body and cause maximum internal damage. Poole said surgeons treating 16 gunshot victims have recovered no full bullets.
"These bullets more or less exploded inside the body," Poole said. "It's caused us all kinds of extra problems in dealing with the wounds they cause, with very strange trajectories."
And this is his deeply disturbing video...
I made some screen caps of that video in case it's taken down for whatever reason.
(click pics to enlarge)
So you can at least get an idea of the hideous ideology behind his murderous act.
But here's the thing eh?
I also made a screen cap this morning of a comment left on the blog of a member of the Blogging Tories.
To his credit, the blog owner sharply criticized that comment. But he spends much of his time mumbling darkly about the Mooslim Threat. It does show you what kind of hate is out there.
And I know that if I visited other conservative sites, like the sewer called Free Dominion, I would find more and much worse.
Now I hate violent Muslim extremists exactly as much as I hate any other kind of violent religious fanatics, bullies, bigots, and thugs.
But the fact is in certain right-wing circles, bashing peaceful, decent, Muslim Canadians, and their religion, has become far too common. It's wrong, it's evil, it's nonsense. It can only create the conditions for some act of murderous violence.
And however flawed this country may be, or whatever our democratic differences, it's still a peaceful place to live.
I can only hope that our Con government, and our security services are monitoring potentially violent right-wing terrorists as closely as they are monitoring any others.
And that the Cons aren't blinded by their own foul ideology, or the ghastly grunts of their rabid Christianist base.
Because the beast that would tear our beautiful country apart is surely among us.
And it must be tamed or caged, before it destroys us ALL....
