That attitude is at the core of many comments being offered on the controversial series of Tamil protests, the latest being the forced closing of the Gardiner Expressway for seven hours Sunday, when as many as 5,000 protesters surprised everyone by marching up the Spadina Ave. ramp and shutting down the expressway.It's understandable that Toronto might be a bit testy. But it's unrealistic to expect Tamils to walk around in a reverent protest when their friends and loved ones are dying in Sri Lanka without as much as public acknowledgement among their neighbours here.
The truth is, most of us couldn't give a rat's tail about most of what happens around the globe – until it directly affects us.
This could be seen as a survival tactic. There are so many conflicts at home and abroad that we tell ourselves that when it gets bad enough someone will shout, and then we will pay attention.
Of course, history shows people do shout and we are deaf to their cries – until they do something crazy, like take children and seniors onto a busy expressway.
Without the heightened Toronto protest, would we have heard the United Nations condemnation of the weekend shelling of ethnic Tamil civilians, including 106 children, as a "bloodbath"? Likely not.
U.N. spokesperson Gordon Weiss said yesterday: "The large-scale killing of civilians over the weekend ... shows that that bloodbath has become a reality.''
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband: "No one can be in any doubt that this is an issue that deserves the international community's attention ... at all levels."
See no evil, hear no evil is the basic response. Until we can't drive around as is our right. Until we are inconvenienced.
In many quarters there's been an egging on of public officials to knock heads and move these protesters off public property. "Unlawful!" we shout. And, that it is. Thankfully, Mayor David Miller, Premier Dalton McGuinty and police Chief Bill Blair are men of reason and caution.
"When anybody, anywhere is hurt, we can't help but feel it here," because GTA citizens are likely to have relatives and friends involved, McGuinty said, calling for restraint on all sides.It is not wise to lead children and seniors onto a highway to block traffic. It's dangerous, irresponsible even. So police must carefully prevent this, without causing more pain and anguish among those whose desperation drives them to extreme protest.
Real protests of difficult issues are never neat and tidy. Peaceful sometimes turns nasty. Radical and fringe elements can infiltrate and overpower moderate ones.
Yes, the lawn at Queen's Park is a nice protest stage. But many before the Tamils have blocked traffic, pleading for our attention. It's a sign of desperation, a cry from our neighbours that disaster has struck, so please take notice.And, it goes without saying: sorry for the inconvenience.
Sometimes price of freedom is gloriously inconvenient
by Joe Fiorito
1 comment:
".......then they should take their protests to the streets of New York in front of the UN, the steps of parliament in Ottawa, London, Paris, etc. not the streets of Toronto where our elected clowns can't deal with complexity of garbage collection, gang murders, street vendors, etc. etc."
I really don't think they give a shit about Toronto city council Walter...
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