There is a fine line between freedom and being free
Freedom isn't free.
As Canadian citizens, we have fought for the great freedoms we enjoy and should never take them for granted. Heroes have dedicated their lives to breaking the chains of oppression, sacrificing themselves in the pursuit of a just and free society for all. These heroes were not soldiers following orders; they were dissidents who refused to be silent while peoples'fundamental rights were being denied.
Although most people wish to ignore it, our freedom is under attack. Those who hate our freedom, and wish to take away our rights, are not hiding in a cave in Afghanistan, they are hiding in boardrooms amongst the same class of people who we originally won our freedoms from; the elite. The minority elite class have always attempted to subjugate the rest of society in order to maintain the power structure that keeps them dominant and affluent. This class struggle has been around for millennia and is an on-going process.
The global struggle for freedom and equality was being won until recently, when the elite orchestrated a spectacular false-flag attack, in part to scare the general population back into submission. Now in a “post-911 world,” they cannot allow for freedom of opinion, freedom of expression, or freedom of peaceful assembly; three fundamental freedoms enshrined by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Another legal right that the elite would do away with is everyone's right not to be subjected to any cruel and unusual treatment or punishment. Not only would the elite like to make it OK to torture suspected “terrorists,” they would extend this uncivilized treatment to anybody with a dissenting opinion.
Now, in their “post-911 world”, protesters have become equated with terrorists. We are spied on, arbitrarily arrested and even physically assaulted. This is all being done in violation of our basic human rights. When our government secretly arrests Canadian citizens using security certificates, subjects them to beatings, and detains them for years in Kingston without even charging them, our government is violating every single legal right guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Supreme Court has finally recognized this, and has given the government a one-year ultimatum to cease this practice, landing us a huge victory in our fight for freedom.
However, we can't be complacent and we can't take this battle lightly. The elite want us to go back to sleep so that they can continue chipping away at the rights and freedoms of the average Canadian citizen. Now that the elite have managed to shred our fundamental freedoms and legal rights, they are working on our equality rights. These elites want social inequality to complement the great economic inequality that they maintain and profit from. Although we are winning the fight against racism, it still exists. Even though racism is no longer accepted in mainstream society, it has stayed prevalent amongst figures of authority, who still use racial profiling and special treatment, blatantly violating our equality rights.
Many Canadian citizens have already been arbitrarily arrested, deported, and even tortured, simply because of their racial background. With the rise of Islam-o-phobia, authorities are on a witch-hunt for terrorists, and this means that people of Middle-Eastern descent are unproportionally targeted. As many of you know, I was recently “made an example of”. Out of eight students who were committing the crime of exercising their fundamental freedoms, the security officer chose me; the only person there of Middle Eastern descent, to physically confront. Instead of treating us all equally, I was arrested, assaulted and charged with trespassing, while all other students, mostly of European background, were allowed to leave peacefully.
Wake up! Smell the tyranny approaching. We are on a very slippery slope, and if we don't act now we might lose all our rights and freedoms. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is what makes Canada a great place to live and should be a source of pride for all Canadians.
Know your rights. Defend and exercise your fundamental freedoms. Speak up, and take a stand for what you believe in. In a free society complacency is complicity, and silence is consent. We are free Canadians and we will not be silent.
Do not let any person or institution take away your fundamental freedoms. Stand up for fundamental freedoms on campus, in the city, everywhere.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
As Canadian citizens, we have fought for the great freedoms we enjoy and should never take them for granted. Heroes have dedicated their lives to breaking the chains of oppression, sacrificing themselves in the pursuit of a just and free society for all. These heroes were not soldiers following orders; they were dissidents who refused to be silent while peoples'fundamental rights were being denied.
Although most people wish to ignore it, our freedom is under attack. Those who hate our freedom, and wish to take away our rights, are not hiding in a cave in Afghanistan, they are hiding in boardrooms amongst the same class of people who we originally won our freedoms from; the elite. The minority elite class have always attempted to subjugate the rest of society in order to maintain the power structure that keeps them dominant and affluent. This class struggle has been around for millennia and is an on-going process.
The global struggle for freedom and equality was being won until recently, when the elite orchestrated a spectacular false-flag attack, in part to scare the general population back into submission. Now in a “post-911 world,” they cannot allow for freedom of opinion, freedom of expression, or freedom of peaceful assembly; three fundamental freedoms enshrined by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Another legal right that the elite would do away with is everyone's right not to be subjected to any cruel and unusual treatment or punishment. Not only would the elite like to make it OK to torture suspected “terrorists,” they would extend this uncivilized treatment to anybody with a dissenting opinion.
Now, in their “post-911 world”, protesters have become equated with terrorists. We are spied on, arbitrarily arrested and even physically assaulted. This is all being done in violation of our basic human rights. When our government secretly arrests Canadian citizens using security certificates, subjects them to beatings, and detains them for years in Kingston without even charging them, our government is violating every single legal right guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Supreme Court has finally recognized this, and has given the government a one-year ultimatum to cease this practice, landing us a huge victory in our fight for freedom.
However, we can't be complacent and we can't take this battle lightly. The elite want us to go back to sleep so that they can continue chipping away at the rights and freedoms of the average Canadian citizen. Now that the elite have managed to shred our fundamental freedoms and legal rights, they are working on our equality rights. These elites want social inequality to complement the great economic inequality that they maintain and profit from. Although we are winning the fight against racism, it still exists. Even though racism is no longer accepted in mainstream society, it has stayed prevalent amongst figures of authority, who still use racial profiling and special treatment, blatantly violating our equality rights.
Many Canadian citizens have already been arbitrarily arrested, deported, and even tortured, simply because of their racial background. With the rise of Islam-o-phobia, authorities are on a witch-hunt for terrorists, and this means that people of Middle-Eastern descent are unproportionally targeted. As many of you know, I was recently “made an example of”. Out of eight students who were committing the crime of exercising their fundamental freedoms, the security officer chose me; the only person there of Middle Eastern descent, to physically confront. Instead of treating us all equally, I was arrested, assaulted and charged with trespassing, while all other students, mostly of European background, were allowed to leave peacefully.
Wake up! Smell the tyranny approaching. We are on a very slippery slope, and if we don't act now we might lose all our rights and freedoms. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is what makes Canada a great place to live and should be a source of pride for all Canadians.
Know your rights. Defend and exercise your fundamental freedoms. Speak up, and take a stand for what you believe in. In a free society complacency is complicity, and silence is consent. We are free Canadians and we will not be silent.
Do not let any person or institution take away your fundamental freedoms. Stand up for fundamental freedoms on campus, in the city, everywhere.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
