Bud: National security--Where's the beef? & Islam for dummies

National security--Where's the beef?

Colin Kenny, the the chair of the The Senate Standing Committee on National Security and Defense, has been sounding the alarm that all is not well on the security front. In fact, almost all is wretched. Still, we are told, we have criminals working at our airports. One plane groomer was able to retrieve $50,000 worth of drugs from the planes per trip. He made twenty trips before he was apprehended. He claimed the dope was stashed all over the planes--ofter in seats. Kenny's comment on that: "The people who work around the planes--the groomers, the luggage handlers, the caterers--all are only checked on a random basis." He went on to say that "It's a random system that we have seen beaten regularly." Kenny maintains that to regularily check every employee who has restricted access is costly; nevertheless, thanks to the $14 security fee, the Liberals have the money. They just don't have the will or, more seriously, they must be spending it on their re-election campaign.

On top of that, the Liberal departments are either lying or grossly incompetent when it comes to security matters. At the Senate hearings, Kenny heard Canada Post claim that Air Canada is inspecting the incoming mail packages. Air Canada claimed that Canada Post is handling that. Now, the kicker, Transport Canada says neither one of them is inspecting the mail.

As though to bolster Kenny's revelations, Conservative Peter Mackay showed just how easy it was to evade port security. He simply scaled a fence, wondered around and then left the same way. Security didn't even know he was there. I'm not easily spooked, but this laxity after all the world-wide terrorist attacks has me abusing my worry beads.

Almost a year ago, Sheila Fraser took the Liberals to task over this inferior security. Like good boys, they swore that the recommendations to check personnel and implement other measures would be undertaken post haste. Now we see that they have done nothing substantive. Small wonder that Martin and his cabinet have offered almost no interviews about the recent bombings. They might have to admit that their petty political interests have topped Canadian's security concerns.

We have also seen the appalling poll that came out of Britain, which showed large numbers of British-Muslims either approved of the London bombings, or had "no opinion". Put latter in the "I'm happy camp". A majority thought that Britain was decadent and deserved to come to an end. Another large per cent thought that the Muslim community would not turn in the bombers, even if they knew who they were. In respect to this, what is our own government telling us about our Muslim communuties here? Has their general silence disguised what is not politically expedient to acknowledge? Do Muslims here feel similar disgust with Canadian values, which aren't far off Britain's? Where is the leadership in this country? Off glad-handing some church group, probably. We are in deep, deep trouble if we have to depend on this crew.

© Bud Talkinghorn



Islam for dummies

I happened to check out the CBC TV afternoon call-in show (Wed,. July 26). There was a Ms. Siddiqui as the guest commentator. She might as well have been called Ms. Slick. The topic was "What would you like to know about Islam." No matter what concerns the phone-in callers had, they were met with a set of talking points. Chief among this creeping barrage was that "Islam is the perfect faith of peace" and "yes, due to economics, ethnicity, rural areas, tradition, government edicts, rogue preachers, and peanut butter allergies, there were a 'few' misguided souls in the bosom of Islam. "Yes", to another question about the abuse of women. "There are areas of 'Muslim' countries where women are treated horribly", she calmly said, "But true Islam is..." She didn't directly explain how these 'few' could actually number millions all arounf the world. How it is that large towns in Nigeria could go nuts and hack their Christian brothers to death over some stupid TV statement out of Lagos? Or how massed attacks on the Christians of Sulewesi and Ambon can be justified. She had her talking points and she was sticking to them. "Did I mention that "Islam" means "peace"? The CBC woman, who was supposed to throw a few hardball questions at her, was totally comfortable with her guest's evasions. I'll bet that this interviewer's deference went over well with the Muslim community. The gist of the entire program was that somehow (through infidel ignorance) we Canadians have totally misunderstand Islam and its threat.

I am sorry they didn't have Aly Hindi on instead. Aly would have definitely given us the testosterone version. Muscular Islam, if you will. However, God forbid that CBC should have him on, lest he start talking about the cursed infidels and the Koranic rationale for world-wide Islamic domination. Still, bless the CBC, as they rarely disappoint you. Like an old "All in the Family" sitcom, they too have their scripted lines and talking points. The questions posed by listeners were excellent, really zeroing in with pertinent concerns. It was just the pablum answers that didn't cut it.

What made the show interesting, was to watch the new (but appropriately brittle) CBC presenter try to keep a value-neutral face on, while Ms. Siddiqui talked about the empowerment of Islamic females. Does that mean that now only two male witnesses have to see you raped before your word is believed in a Sharia court? But of course individual negative aspects of Islam, preached by its highest religious authorities, were gracefully skated over. She was a real pro. I'll give her that. Expect to see her again on CBC.

© Bud Talkinghorn

Would you say she is the female equivalent of Hussein Ibbish? He's been dusted off and brought out to try and convince everyone that profiling would be wrong in the search for terrorists. After all, not all Middle Easterners look the stereotype and profiling would infringe on their rights . . . probably be unconstitutional. Security wouldn't want to be accused of racism so they will not be checking East African, North African nor Middle Eastern males. To search a woman in a burqa or hijab would be against her honour and we can't have that either. So little old ladies will continue to be frisked and children's choirs on tour will receive special attention at airports. NJC

---