Terrorism at home

Editorial - Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Peterborough Examiner

Re "They won't back down" (June 28) -

While we spend millions of dollars having our military clean up the bloody nose the U.S.A. created in Afghanistan, citizens of Ontario are subject to what appears to be home grown terrorism by the self-declared Mohawk State.

Phil Fontaine, in appearance an articulate, thoughtful representative of the native cause, shows us in video the deplorable conditions on some of the native reserves. This is effective. Nothing gets Canadians to dig into their pockets more than guilt, pity and the sense of concern and decency.

Shutting down major economic and transportation routes is economic terrorism. Most people are sympathetic to the cause but these actions have and will continue to damage the good work done by men like Mr. Fontaine.

Instead of spending money to clean up Afghanistan and help its government gain control of that country, our army should be at home helping the inept Harper government gain control here. If some citizens of Havelock decided to blockade Highway 7 because of an unfair provincial or federal policy, the OPP riot squad would be called out, the citizens would be gassed, pepper sprayed and bludgeoned into submission, arrested and ultimately prosecuted. Where does this relate to fairness for one and all?

Even children know of the problems that the native population has endured but the natives are not alone. There are many non-native children in this country who are hungry, many citizens who cannot afford a home or utilities. It is fortunate for the rest that those people who are struggling with these issues while paying taxes do not engage in acts of terrorism such as the Shawn Brant crew in Deseronto.

Bring our soldiers home to clean our own back yard instead of cleaning someone else's. Deseronto is much closer than Kabul.

DAN MURPHY Wolsely Street