Ripped this from SE.
Reminds me of the time when the United States and Canada interned Italians during WWII claiming they were fascists. They knew they were innocent just like the Japanese were. Actually, I don't even know if any charges were ever laid on those arrested.
As far as I can recall, none of the internees were ever charged with anything. I also don't recall back then that anybody protested against the measure. It was war and we were all (well I was 8 so my folks were) worried about the famous Fifth Column, the spies that were hidden in the woodwork. You should have seen the posters on the walls and even in streetcars and buses, scary.
ReplyDeleteSo in essence you have no problem with the Americans detaining people suspected of being part of "terrorist cells?" After all, it's their "Fifth Column." I would even argue they have more of a case than we did during WWII. We KNOW terrorist cells exist. It's getting the evidence with due process the problem.
ReplyDeleteI know it was war and that's why I give the Americans leeway with this Al-Queda issue. However, seems to me we lose civil liberties and even stretch the concept of rule of law when we try to balance it with security.
I've seen the posters and spoken to people interned. I wrote an artilce about it a few years back. One person claimed until he died - he was the last surviving interned person - that it was all driven by racism.
With hindsight it certainly can be said that racism was the main force driving the internment during the 39-45 war. Our immigration laws then were eminently racist and MacKenzie-King in parliament said that Asian and Mid-East immigration was to be severely curtailed because it would deeply modify Canada's cultural and social fabric.
ReplyDeleteMind you I do have issues with limiting civil liberties to enhance security and I would much prefer taking some risks than being a prisonner in open but fenced in spaces...which the Harperites semm bent on doing under Ms Napolitano's guidance.