Blame Game

The headlines these days are all focussing on the troubles in the Middle East and getting people out of harm's way. Actually, I haven't really been reading or watching the news because everyday is the same dredge. I don't find that the news is "news" per se, more like media hype and exploitation of suffering and pain. In the winter it's all about how cold it is. Cold alert! And the snow and ice, oh the pain, the pain! In the summer we can't stop talking about how hot it is. Heat alert! Smog alert! Red alert, shields up!

But back to this topic. Really, you don't think all of this war stuff was happening before it suddenly became sexy and Pulitzer Prize-worthy? You think this whole Israel-Muslims-Christians pissing contest haven't been going on since forever? Look up The Crusades, they've been pissed off at each other since they defined "pissed off". What I'm noticing now, though is that there's a lot of news coverage on the evacuation of people from the Beirut, Lebanon area. And even louder are the bleets of the angry people who blame their governments for not doing enough, especially Canada.

?????????? Enough? Enough what? Why is it your government's responsibility to bail your ass out when trouble a-cometh? Why do you need to rely on someone else to rescue you when your life of milk and honey suddenly turns into vinegar? This I don't understand because it wasn't the government of Canada who put them in Lebanon in the first place. It was their conscious choice to live and raise families or vacation there and knowing that there is a risk of war or being attacked, they should have taken that into consideration before going and maybe even have a back-up plan if something were to happen. Which indeed, happened. Having dual citizenship is great, but if you don't live here, don't pay taxes and speak of Lebanon as "your country", don't expect us to rush to your aid at the first sign of trouble. It's my damn tax dollars that shuttles your freeloading butt out of the danger zone so don't run to anyone with a camera, microphone or notepad complaining how the Canadian govenment took too long, it should be ashamed of itself and needs to do more to take care of its own people.

The point is, you knew things were happening. Maybe not at first, but the signs were there and when it got bad you still had time to jet yourself out of there. But no, you sat home and did nothing. Then you expected Canada to have waiting cruise ships sitting in your harbour ready for you to leave. And I bet that when things settle down you'll be on the first plane back to Lebanon. I also bet that if bombs weren't dropping all around you, there wouldn't even be a passing thought of Canada in your head. Want someone to blame? Look in the mirror. Grow up and take some responsibility, someone has to and in this case it's not the government's fault.

Look, I don't want people to die. I just don't like the heaping mounds of shit Canada has to sit in everytime something happens. To extend an olive branch of goodwill, my Morden Centennial is starting to bloom. This is from me to you, please get out safely.