Canadian's reaction if CN Tower had been hit on 9/11

[Abeja de Almirante]

We were having a debate at work yesterday about what the Canadian public would think and do if Bin Laden had instead hit the CN Tower.

After some debate, our consensus seems to be a combo of the below...
1) Blame Canadian foreign policy, particularly our relations with the USA
2) Need to outreach to Bin Laden, try to make amends
3) Hug a Muslim Day (that was my favourite), meaning that we must affirm our friendship, in order to demonstrate to Bin Laden that we care.
4) Continue to look inwardly to reflect on why we're to blame, and how we brought this upon ourselves

Under no circumstances did we think that Canadians, or at least the established media or government would demand revenge and the head of Bin Laden; regardless of how feasible this would have been to acheive (Israel did manage to catch the Muslims of Munich, though not without loss of innocent life).

 

[wonderboy905]

Hmm I think Canadians would have noticed the CN Tower being rigged up with explosives. Just like the twin towers, slammig an airplane into the CN Tower isn't going to do anything to compromise the structural integrity of it. Not to bring up another debate that once occured on these forums :hat

 

[The Burgher of TO]

please dont bring that debate up again, it was retarded enough the first time we had it

 

[BrianHawkins1]

Abeja:

Preach it, man! What a sorry lot of pathetic, contemptible girlie-men we all are 'round here.

"We were having a debate"

If you can call it that.

"at work yesterday"

Down at the stockyards, yeah?

"if Bin Laden had instead hit the CN Tower."

Because it fills much the same symbolic space in this country as the WTC did in the US and around the world, I suppose. What a formidable emblem of our awesome economic power and dominance it is!

"our consensus"

The product of a breathtaking meeting of the minds, I'm sure.

"Blame Canadian foreign policy"

Right, because any idiot knows that US foreign policy has absolutely nothing to do with its current confrontations around the world.

"Hug a Muslim Day (that was my favourite)"

As opposed to the far more appropriate and sensible, "Stab any Muslim Day", which I imagine you'd prefer.

"look inwardly to reflect on why we're to blame, and how we brought this upon ourselves"

Right - never question your government or its actions. In fact, don't think at all - just keep on suckin' flag and KILL!

"demand revenge"

Instead of 'justice' - at least you're honest with yourself. An eye for an eye - how noble and enlightened. And I'm sure you'd be first in line to enlist for front-line military service, right? And demanding that your offspring immediately do so as well? Wouldn't want to pussy out and let only other people and their families defend our honour and slice off ("rag")heads.

Holy ****, am I sick of this kind of despicable bullshit from Kanadians like you.

^ Does that get your wee-wee hard, little boy? Make you feel all tough and proud?

^ That can either be a Neanderthal or a troll. Your choice, Admiral Big Balls.

 

[dan e 1980]

:rollin

 

[ganjavih]

After some debate, our consensus seems to be a combo of the below...
1) Blame Canadian foreign policy, particularly our relations with the USA
2) Need to outreach to Bin Laden, try to make amends
3) Hug a Muslim Day (that was my favourite), meaning that we must affirm our friendship, in order to demonstrate to Bin Laden that we care.
4) Continue to look inwardly to reflect on why we're to blame, and how we brought this upon ourselves

Based on the consensus of your colleagues, I imagine a high school diploma would make one vastly overqualified at your place of work.

 

[Abeja de Almirante]

Preach it, man! What a sorry lot of pathetic, contemptible girlie-men we all are 'round here.

just keep on suckin' flag and KILL!

Why have Canadians ever "sucked flag and killed"? I do not think my post invited such sarcasm. I also was not aware that this topic had been debated here before. It was just an interesting topic of discussion at my job. I am sorry I brought it up.

 

[adma]

So let's try something a little higher in concept. Y'know, rather than the CN Tower, how about an airplane hitting the twin towers of the World Trade Centre

Yeah.

 

[bizorky]

Under no circumstances did we think that Canadians, or at least the established media or government would demand revenge and the head of Bin Laden; regardless of how feasible this would have been to acheive (Israel did manage to catch the Muslims of Munich, though not without loss of innocent life)

Well good for you! That evil pinko media would bring a quick stop to getting the revenge to the hypothetical disaster that never happened as imagined by you and your esteemed, imaginative, deep thinking colleagues.

Stupid media types, didn't they know you guys were thinking the deep thoughts and demanding quick judgement and, at the very least, a killing squad to salve your festering anger over this insulting hypothetical situation? And hug a Muslim day, oh the laughter! Of course you pack of smarties knew right off that many of us would be so stupid as to be willing to make distinctions between Bin Laden and Canadians of the Muslim faith. Silly us; how short-sighted on our part! All those guys are the same, after all. Right?

 

[drunknsubmrnr]

After some debate, our consensus seems to be a combo of the below...
1) Blame Canadian foreign policy, particularly our relations with the USA
2) Need to outreach to Bin Laden, try to make amends
3) Hug a Muslim Day (that was my favourite), meaning that we must affirm our friendship, in order to demonstrate to Bin Laden that we care.
4) Continue to look inwardly to reflect on why we're to blame, and how we brought this upon ourselves

A lot of that did happen in the US after 9/11, along with a number of other things. I can see why you'd predict those reactions, but I can't see the reactions being restricted to just those.

Under no circumstances did we think that Canadians, or at least the established media or government would demand revenge and the head of Bin Laden; regardless of how feasible this would have been to acheive (Israel did manage to catch the Muslims of Munich, though not without loss of innocent life).

I can't see a point in hunting down Bin Laden just out of revenge. That won't bring back any of the dead.

However, there's plenty of evidence that Bin Laden is too dangerous to the rest of us to be allowed to live. It's just prudent to hunt him down and kill him now, or at least keep him (and the rest of Al Qaeda) so busy running they're unable to pull off another attack. Given Canada's actions in Afghanistan, this appears to be the decision our leadership has taken.

Kevin

 

[adma]

A lot of that did happen in the US after 9/11, along with a number of other things. I can see why you'd predict those reactions, but I can't see the reactions being restricted to just those.

And it's exactly why I like to claim that the US was more beautiful than it's ever been in the few months after 9/11--and uglier than it's ever been ever since...

 

[Antiloop33rpm]

And it's exactly why I like to claim that the US was more beautiful than it's ever been in the few months after 9/11--and uglier than it's ever been ever since...

Its actions then may look like roses in comparison to the present day but one cannot forget about the attacks on Muslims, Arabs, and anyone who looked remotely close to be being of Middle Eastern decent. There was the blantant racial profiling by security and defence officials. There was the still the same jingoist drive to war that one sees today. And given that the US seems to have all but abandoned any real efforts at disengaging and finding Bin Laden and the Taliban it is worth questioning just what the point of their mission in Afghanistan really was if they were so quick to abandon it.

The mythology that surrounds the emotional outpouring towards victims seems to get extended as though all citizens and all people were treated in the same passionate, humain manner after 9/11 which is rather far from the truth.

 

[adma]

I know; that was the ugliness beneath the beauty. Which makes the beauty more poignant, in retrospect...

...and admittedly; it was probably a beauty overly concentrated within NYC and environs. Essentially, it was the ugly yokels in the rest of America (including Washington DC) that we truly blame the ugliness on. Y'know, in Ameri-political terms, those first few months were "blue", and everything since has been "red"...

 

[Abeja de Almirante]

Guys, I didn't mean to stir up a hive on my work chatter. I am interested what you guys think Canada's reaction would have been if Canada had been hit on 9/11.

Back in Spain we had riots after the train bombing, forcing the government to fall, while in Britain, their subway bombing seemed to strenghten the will of the people to fight. Now, both of these occured after 9/11. My question is more if Canada was the target on 9/11.

 

[adma]

Back in Spain we had riots after the train bombing, forcing the government to fall, while in Britain, their subway bombing seemed to strenghten the will of the people to fight.

First, Spain's government fell democratically. There was an election days after the bombing--and indeed, it may have been a factor in the bombing's timing. (True, the bombing may have helped influence the election result, but...)

Britain: hard to gauge the "will to fight" issue--perhaps because Britain's Britain. (And besides, as the IRA's history proves, it isn't like London or Britain hasn't been through this before. So any strengthened will was a banal tokenism, all things considered...).

That is, there'd have to be a whole variety of circumstances beyond a mere bombing to gauge the net effect upon Canada--and it also hinges upon the kind of attack. Like, a hit upon the CN Tower would work on a different symbolic/psychological level than, say, a hit upon Union Station or Yonge/Bloor in the middle of morning or evening rush...