A rchive Date
[ 16-10-2001 ]
Category
[ International Relations ]
sub-Categoy
[ Canada ]
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[http://www.canoe.ca/Columnists/macdonald.html
Fear is the foe
Terror fails if we refuse to be terrified; panic helps the enemy
By BOB MACDONALD -- Toronto Sun
October 16, 2001
Now settle down. Since the purpose of terrorism is to terrify, then we should be well aware that the purpose of the present anthrax scare is to do just that.
In other words, about three or four envelopes analyzed have actually contained anthrax spores and are at the root of the present scare campaign sweeping through the U.S., Canada, European nations and even the Far East.
The other envelopes, proliferating like mushrooms, almost all contain harmless powder -- and sometimes nothing at all.
The handful containing the real thing likely were mailed by some members of Osama bin Laden's network of terrorist cells and supporters -- as well as a number of the phony ones. Many of the latter appear to have been sent by irresponsible mischief makers trying to "get in on the fun."
The key to the near-panic among too many people is that a photo editor at American Media offices in Florida -- one of the first to come into contact with an anthrax envelope -- died of the disease. That was probably because, not aware of the threat, he was slow in getting treatment.
Also, we should remember that anthrax is not communicable and it is easily treatable. Those in contact with it usually aren't even infected. Ah, but unlike such things as flu or the common cold, anthrax is a strange, practically unknown bacteria to most -- therefore, it comes across as scary.
However, most people were badly affected after the horrific suicide hijackers grabbed four airliners last month and crashed three of them into New York's World Trade Center and the Pentagon, slaughtering 5,400 innocent people.
That was beyond our wildest imaginations. So now, backed by that deadly experience, many people believe bin Laden's fundamentalist Muslim terrorists are ready to pull off all sorts of wild, unimaginable attacks.
And they would if they could. But if just a few envelopes containing anthrax can cause such an uproar, why bother with more risky things than popping envelopes in the mail.
In Canada, not one of the many envelopes and scattered powders reported have so far proven to be anthrax -- just harmless powders. And a container of liquid left in a Toronto water reservoir building last week after a break-in has proven to be just dirty water.
Even on Parliament Hill yesterday, emergency teams went into action after a civil servant developed a skin rash after opening an envelope.
So here we had areas of the building cordoned off and tests being undertaken just a short distance from the House of Commons, where new legislation to help hunt down and eliminate terrorists was being introduced. Unfortunately, the results of various testings take hours, even days to complete.
"We have, I wouldn't say a state of paranoia, but certainly there's a lot of anxiety out there," Canada Post spokesman John Caines said yesterday about public concerns.
The truth is that most people alive today, of course, are experiencing the threat of possible enemy attacks for the first time. And, force-fed by today's instant communications of live, 24-hour, all-news TV channels and the wild disaster plots of our special-effects movies, it's not hard to magnify the anthrax threat in many people's minds.
It would help if we had some strong leadership in Canada at this time, such as a prime minister who would go on television and clearly, confidently tell the truth about the matter.
The anthrax threat is really not serious but Canadians should be told that by someone they trust.
The trouble is that Prime Minister Jean Chretien doesn't inspire much confidence. After all, he dithered for over a month before committing some of Canada's Armed Forces to going after bin Laden and his international network, plus the Taliban gang giving them safe haven.
So, in Canada, the responsibility falls on ourselves, the people of Canada, to educate ourselves about anthrax and realize we have a very minor threat to us and our families.
Sure, we should exercise common sense and exercise some caution about such things as suspicious-looking mail.
But remember: No anthrax so far has been proven in Canada and just a few cases in the U.S.
Yes, the purpose of terrorism is to terrify.
But it fails if we refuse to be terrified. Instead, use our common sense and take it all in stride. It's up to us.
Read Bob MacDonald on Wednesdays and Sundays. Reach him at bob.macdonald@tor.sunpub.com
 World Fact Book (CIA)]
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