Corporal Nathan Cirillo, 24, married - with one young son, was cowardly shot dead this morning while he stood guard over the Grave of the Unknown Soldier at the War Memorial in Ottawa, Canada’s Capital.
Cpl. Cirillo was a Reservist with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders based in Hamilton, Ontario. He had joined army cadets when only 13.
His death follows by only two days the equally senseless and cowardly murder of Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent in Saint-Jean sur Richelieu.
In regard t these deaths, the first question on everyone’s lips is understandably – Why?
And to that I offer the following:
In both cases, it appears that these murderers were born and raised here in Canada. And given their actions, they would have been raised on violent and soul destroying computer games that depicted killing, rape and maiming as normal daily activities. A toxic mixture itself, and then overlay that with extremist messages from the Internet and you have a very potent and volatile situation.
In essence, the murderers become brainwashed and in a sense are victims themselves. Not said to excuse their acts but to explain how they are being used by extreme terrorist groups like ISIS and Al Qaeda.
They are not core members for the simple reason that it is power that fuels the Bin Ladens of the world – they want to be in a position to tell you and me how to act. Rather the home grown terrorist is much like Stalin depicted them – useful idiots. They are and can be just as deadly though.
The next natural question naturally to arise is what do we do?
Another soft one.
We are at war with Terrorists throughout the world - especially in the Middle East. When our security forces uncover those living within our borders expressing sympathy for these murdering barbarians – we lock them up for the duration. Simple as that.
I am not a big fan of the late Pierre Trudeau but I do very much appreciate the following comments he made during the height of the FLQ Crisis in the 1970s:
A. Well there are a lot of bleeding hearts around who just don't like to see people with helmets and guns. All I can say is, go on and bleed, but it is more important to keep law and order in the society than to be worried about weak-kneed people who don't like the looks of ...
Q: At any cost? How far would you go with that? How far would you extend that?
A: Well just watch me.
Q: At reducing civil liberties? To what extent?
A: To what extent?
Q: Well, if you extend this and you say, ok, you're going to do anything to protect them, does this include wire-tapping, reducing other civil liberties in some way?
A: Yes, I think the society must take every means at its disposal to defend itself against the emergence of a parallel power which defies the elected power in this country and I think that goes to any distance. So long as there is a power in here which is challenging the elected representative of the people.
So Terrorists, whether home grown or from afar bring it on, you will find us more than up to the task.
As I see it…
“K. D. Galagher’
