Calm heads and kind Heart Rural Ramblings

I expect most of you have seen the news about the arson attack on the Edson Mosque at around 11 p.m. on Saturday, June 16. It’s been all over the nationals and I even saw it on CTV TV complete with security camera footage of someone sauntering away from the building carrying a jerrycan. I guess either the person didn’t know there was a security camera or did not care. It’s going to be tough to identify anyone from that.

The good news is that even though there were people in the building, no one was hurt, and the fire was put out reasonably quickly with little damage. The bad news is that religious intolerance and hate may have surfaced in Edson. It is not welcome.

Unlike some other countries, Canada is a country where you are free to practice your religion whatever it is, and Canadians are rightfully proud of it. Live and let live. Our Muslim community have been good neighbours and I hope that we have been good neighbours to them despite the global conflict.

I’m afraid now that although I do not expect anything but kindness and tolerance from the Muslims in and around Edson others may not feel the same way. The person that set the fire has, I fear also lit a fuse, and marked Edson on a map for others perhaps thousands of miles away.

I’m sorry to say this being a member of the media but I think this event has already been blown up out of all proportion and people with agendas will run with it, which saddens me but is also a sign of the times.

Hate crimes, beget hate crimes. We’ve already seen it in Edmonton, a little over two hours away. It’s a horrible cycle that once it gets going is almost impossible to stop. I don’t believe that we should over react, there is no such thing as 100 per cent security. However, our law enforcement and municipalities should, hopefully already have, sit up and take notice.

I served in the UK army reserves back in the 1970s when the IRA took its bombing campaign to mainland England. It was serious stuff, briefings, training, taking simple precautions and most of all being watchful.

I’m not advocating that we all barricade ourselves up in our homes, fearful of going out but simply be more aware. If something doesn’t seem right, call it in, be mindful of entrances and exits and where they are. Ask yourself, what if? People in Europe have been doing this for years. Now, we may be in it too. Calm heads and kind hearts must prevail.