Our freedoms are casualties of war

In layman's terms, that means unintended targets shot by people who are supposed to be on our side.

Another reality about war is that it is very difficult to limit its victims. But we all know that, and have seen it in the fiasco that is the "war on terror." By declaring our challenge to terrorism a war, we accept that sometimes innocent people will get hurt.

Much of Canadian society - and huge portions of U.S. society - agreed that the proper response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, was a "war on terror," though a war that could go on for years, a war that features unconventional tactics and unfamiliar battlefields.

And we accepted limitations on our democratic freedoms - a casualty of the war that was deemed unavoidable in the fear and loathing that followed 9/11.

All of which brings us to the debate that unfolded in the House of Commons last week. The combined forces of the opposition, led by Liberal Leader Stephane Dion, refused to give the Conservative government permission to extend two security provisions that were part of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001. Provision one gave authorities the power to arrest suspected terrorists without warrants and hold them in jail for up to 12 months without laying charges. The second created the possibility of "investigative hearings" to allow authorities to force suspected terrorists to testify about alleged plots.

These two provisions were thought by parliamentarians in 2001 to be offensive but necessary costs of the war on terrorism. However, knowing what extraordinary infractions of our charter rights they were, Parliament gave them a sunset clause so they would have to be reconsidered and renewed after five years.

Five years has passed, the reconsideration has occurred and today's Parliament deems them unnecessary. This is both right and just. They violated our sense of human rights and should not have been left on the books unless an airtight case for their necessity could be made. No one made any such case. The measures were not used at all, in fact.

The vote to eliminate these measures was a small sign that we are regaining our sense of proportion over the true nature of terrorism. Our response should not be a war, with all that implies, but concerted, international police action within clear legal parameters. In fact, it has been good police work that has done the most to foil terrorist plots since 2001 - and military action that has done the most to foment more terrorism.

We still have work to do. Maher Arar revealed our own complicity in torture and evidence has arisen that he was not the only one. We have far to go to learn how to defeat terrorism without inflicting wounds on the innocent.

- - -

Joe Sinasac is the editor and publisher of The Catholic Register.

Contact

The Catholic Register
http://www.catholicregister.org ,
Joe Sinasac - ,

Email

Keywords

More Catholic PRWire

Showing 1 - 50 of 4,716

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »

A Recession Antidote
Randy Hain

Monaco & The Vatican: Monaco's Grace Kelly Exhibit to Rome--A Review of Monegasque-Holy See Diplomatic History
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

The Why of Jesus' Death: A Pauline Perspective
Jerom Paul

A Royal Betrayal: Catholic Monaco Liberalizes Abortion
Dna. Maria St.Catherine De Grace Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

Embrace every moment as sacred time
Mary Regina Morrell

My Dad
JoMarie Grinkiewicz

Letting go is simple wisdom with divine potential
Mary Regina Morrell

Father Lombardi's Address on Catholic Media
Catholic Online

Pope's Words to Pontifical Latin American College
Catholic Online

Prelate: Genetics Needs a Conscience
Catholic Online

State Aid for Catholic Schools: Help or Hindrance?
Catholic Online

Scorsese Planning Movie on Japanese Martyrs
Catholic Online

2 Nuns Kidnapped in Kenya Set Free
Catholic Online

Holy See-Israel Negotiation Moves Forward
Catholic Online

Franchising to Evangelize
Catholic Online

Catholics Decry Anti-Christianity in Israel
Catholic Online

Pope and Gordon Brown Meet About Development Aid
Catholic Online

Pontiff Backs Latin America's Continental Mission
Catholic Online

Cardinal Warns Against Anti-Catholic Education
Catholic Online

Full Circle
Robert Gieb

Three words to a deeper faith
Paul Sposite

Relections for Lent 2009
chris anthony

Wisdom lies beyond the surface of life
Mary Regina Morrell

World Food Program Director on Lent
Catholic Online

Moral Clarity
DAN SHEA

Pope's Lenten Message for 2009
Catholic Online

A Prayer for Monaco: Remembering the Faith Legacy of Prince Rainier III & Princess Grace and Contemplating the Moral Challenges of Prince Albert II
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe

Keeping a Lid on Permissiveness
Sally Connolly

Glimpse of Me
Sarah Reinhard

The 3 stages of life
Michele Szekely

Sex and the Married Woman
Cheryl Dickow

A Catholic Woman Returns to the Church
Cheryl Dickow

Modernity & Morality
Dan Shea

Just a Minute
Sarah Reinhard

Catholic identity ... triumphant reemergence!
Hugh McNichol

Edging God Out
Paul Sposite

Burying a St. Joseph Statue
Cheryl Dickow

George Bush Speaks on Papal Visit
Catholic Online

Sometimes moving forward means moving the canoe
Mary Regina Morrell

Action Changes Things: Teaching our Kids about Community Service
Lisa Hendey

Easter... A Way of Life
Paul Spoisite

Papal initiative...peace and harmony!
Hugh McNichol

Proclaim the mysteries of the Resurrection!
Hugh McNichol

Jerusalem Patriarch's Easter Message
Catholic Online

Good Friday Sermon of Father Cantalamessa
Catholic Online

Papal Address at the End of the Way of the Cross
Catholic Online

Cardinal Zen's Meditations for Via Crucis
Catholic Online

Interview With Vatican Aide on Jewish-Catholic Relations
Catholic Online

Pope Benedict XVI On the Easter Triduum
Catholic Online

Holy Saturday...anticipation!
Hugh McNichol

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »