Oh, Canada - Chapter Three
“You can’t be angry with your own time without damage to yourself”
- Ulrich in Man Without Qualities, Robert Musil
“Culture may be described as that which makes life worth living. It is what justifies other people and other generations in saying, when they contemplate the remains and influence of an extinct civilization, that it was worthwhile for that civilization to have existed” – T.S. Eliot, Notes Toward the Definition of Culture
I have a confession to make. Increasingly I find it difficult not to be angry with our own time. Musil’s advice along with a frequent repetition of Phillipians 4:6[1] have become keys to my ability to maintain an emotional equilibrium in the face of what I see happening to our civilization.
Even a cursory glance through our national and local newspapers or 10 minutes of CBC Newsworld is enough to make me ask the same question posed by Smollett’s Matthew Bramble in the Expedition of Humphrey Clinker (1771) – “whether the world was always as contemptible, as it appears to me at present?”
I am troubled not so much by the constant reminder of the evil that exists in the world, as by the smug and complacent attitude our Western civilization displays in the face of the daily reminders. The use of language is revealing of what lies in the heart of the speaker. Has anyone noticed how our Canadian press (Globe & Mail, CBC) have slipped into language of appeasement if not outright approval of the barbaric actions of the terrorists in Iraq.
Kidnapping and murder have been replaced by detention and execution. Our press reports on these events in language suggesting these victims have been first inconvenienced (detained) and then dispatched through some legitimate process (executed – definition: 2 : a putting to death especially as a legal penalty.)
It is inconceivable to me that any right thinking person can think it is possible to negotiate with despicably evil men who abduct innocent civilians, terrorize them and force them to appear before cameras pleading for their lives, and ultimately butcher them alive by cutting off their heads with a hand knife.
How many Canadians, particularly our youth who spend so much time surfing the internet, have logged on to the websites to view these atrocities? Are they sickened by the sight? Are they so desensitized to death and violence and brutality from all the movies and video games that they are able to avoid the natural human reaction of revulsion? What does it say about our civilization that cable providers have not prevented these images from being distributed throughout the internet – in Canada no doubt because of the fear of the Civil Liberties Union attacking them for breach of someone’s fundamental human rights!
Most nations have stood firm against this evil while some have bent their knee such as Spain and the Philippines. In the face of a close election in Australia, Prime Minister Howard has shown leadership and courage by denouncing the barbarism and vowing that Australia will never submit to this terrorist blackmail. His opponent vows to withdraw Australian troops from Iraq by Christmas. In the United States, the Democrats and their push-me-pull-me candidate Mr. Kerry, seek to gain votes with the promise of an early disengagement.
Meanwhile, our Prime Minister makes a speech before a mostly empty United Nations General Assembly parading his usual list of platitudes and days later Canada and the UN demonstrate their ongoing incompetence by failing to provide Haitians with any meaningful relief from the devastation of flooding. Well, we did apparently approve a $50,000 expenditure by the Red Cross to “study how best to respond”.
Perhaps Professor Katherine Binhammer of the University of Alberta might agree to divert to Haiti the proceeds of her $62,566 research grant to study “Carnal knowledge: women, desire and seduction narratives in Britain, 1740-1800” or University of Ottawa professors Colette Parent and Christine Bruckert, their $90,806 grant to study “Sex work and intimacy; escorts and their clients”’ or Professor Ryan Rhodes and his U Vic group his $94,616 grant for a study called “Developing a theory-based leisure time walking program”. (National Post September 24, 2004 p. A4) Whatever happened to round numbers? Is it GST that gives us all the 6’s?
Matthew Bramble, it seems little has changed in 233 years!
[1] Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayers and petitions present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
- Ulrich in Man Without Qualities, Robert Musil
“Culture may be described as that which makes life worth living. It is what justifies other people and other generations in saying, when they contemplate the remains and influence of an extinct civilization, that it was worthwhile for that civilization to have existed” – T.S. Eliot, Notes Toward the Definition of Culture
I have a confession to make. Increasingly I find it difficult not to be angry with our own time. Musil’s advice along with a frequent repetition of Phillipians 4:6[1] have become keys to my ability to maintain an emotional equilibrium in the face of what I see happening to our civilization.
Even a cursory glance through our national and local newspapers or 10 minutes of CBC Newsworld is enough to make me ask the same question posed by Smollett’s Matthew Bramble in the Expedition of Humphrey Clinker (1771) – “whether the world was always as contemptible, as it appears to me at present?”
I am troubled not so much by the constant reminder of the evil that exists in the world, as by the smug and complacent attitude our Western civilization displays in the face of the daily reminders. The use of language is revealing of what lies in the heart of the speaker. Has anyone noticed how our Canadian press (Globe & Mail, CBC) have slipped into language of appeasement if not outright approval of the barbaric actions of the terrorists in Iraq.
Kidnapping and murder have been replaced by detention and execution. Our press reports on these events in language suggesting these victims have been first inconvenienced (detained) and then dispatched through some legitimate process (executed – definition: 2 : a putting to death especially as a legal penalty.)
It is inconceivable to me that any right thinking person can think it is possible to negotiate with despicably evil men who abduct innocent civilians, terrorize them and force them to appear before cameras pleading for their lives, and ultimately butcher them alive by cutting off their heads with a hand knife.
How many Canadians, particularly our youth who spend so much time surfing the internet, have logged on to the websites to view these atrocities? Are they sickened by the sight? Are they so desensitized to death and violence and brutality from all the movies and video games that they are able to avoid the natural human reaction of revulsion? What does it say about our civilization that cable providers have not prevented these images from being distributed throughout the internet – in Canada no doubt because of the fear of the Civil Liberties Union attacking them for breach of someone’s fundamental human rights!
Most nations have stood firm against this evil while some have bent their knee such as Spain and the Philippines. In the face of a close election in Australia, Prime Minister Howard has shown leadership and courage by denouncing the barbarism and vowing that Australia will never submit to this terrorist blackmail. His opponent vows to withdraw Australian troops from Iraq by Christmas. In the United States, the Democrats and their push-me-pull-me candidate Mr. Kerry, seek to gain votes with the promise of an early disengagement.
Meanwhile, our Prime Minister makes a speech before a mostly empty United Nations General Assembly parading his usual list of platitudes and days later Canada and the UN demonstrate their ongoing incompetence by failing to provide Haitians with any meaningful relief from the devastation of flooding. Well, we did apparently approve a $50,000 expenditure by the Red Cross to “study how best to respond”.
Perhaps Professor Katherine Binhammer of the University of Alberta might agree to divert to Haiti the proceeds of her $62,566 research grant to study “Carnal knowledge: women, desire and seduction narratives in Britain, 1740-1800” or University of Ottawa professors Colette Parent and Christine Bruckert, their $90,806 grant to study “Sex work and intimacy; escorts and their clients”’ or Professor Ryan Rhodes and his U Vic group his $94,616 grant for a study called “Developing a theory-based leisure time walking program”. (National Post September 24, 2004 p. A4) Whatever happened to round numbers? Is it GST that gives us all the 6’s?
Matthew Bramble, it seems little has changed in 233 years!
[1] Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayers and petitions present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
posted by Ben Buan | 9:53 a.m.
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