Shocking news from the country’s capital this week is the kind of stuff we’ve come to expect from other parts of the world.
Airplanes crash into buildings in the United States. Hotels are bombed in the Far East and cars explode in the Middle East. Subways are attacked in faraway places like Japan and London, England.
Now the global wave of violence that we’ve been seeing and reading about in the news media from other places may have come home to Canada.
It’s shocking, indeed. But it really shouldn’t be surprising. Canada has taken an active role against belligerents in other parts of the world, so we shouldn’t be surprised if they may attempt to bring the fight to our own doorstep.
And it’s important that, at time of this writing, at least, “may†remains the operative word.
News coverage of the Parliament Hill shooting, in its early stages, has stood in stark contrast to the kind of reporting that we’ve come to expect from the mega-media south of the border. Caution has been the watchword. Little was known, and purposefully, little was reported. There was much “housekeeping†– community newspapers across the country checked in on their members of parliament to ensure they were safe, and there was an overall watchful attitude to keep track of what was transpiring.
There was some speculation that the attack “may†have been a coordinated effort, but that was tempered by an air of calm objectivity.
Whether or not Wednesday’s assault on Parliament Hill was a coordinated terrorist manoeuvre, it’s important to note that whatever security breech occurred, it was dealt with swiftly and decisively.
Cooler heads prevailed. And it’s important that we, as a nation, follow suit.
Plug the holes if there are any, and move on. Falling to panic and fear only gives victory to those who attempt to deal in terror.
– B.G.