Terrorism

Formal definitions are not always the way to go...

Terrorism is something with a fluid definition - it seems it can mean anything you want it to. Some would argue it is an act of war committed against civilians for the purpose of de-stabilization. There is something to that.

Of course, when you say that - then a lot of things are no longer terrorism; like the attack in Quebec on Monday and in Ottawa on Wednesday. Both of those targeted soldiers. So technically they are simply military actions - and if they have a link to ISIS, they are actually military actions by someone we are technically at war with.

That they happened on Canadian soil is the hard part. Not many people get away with military actions against Canada on Canadian soil. The United States tried it some many years ago and we burned their white house to the ground to teach them a lesson.

But I digress, let's take a looser definition of terrorism  - an act meant to cause terror. More specifically, an act meant to make you afraid.

Pre and Post 9/11. Some of us can think that far back. Remember a world where no one would ever dare attack North America? Remember a time when we assumed violence and car bombs and the like happened over there, wherever over there happened to be. I was personally always worried about going to Northern Ireland in the 80's. But then someone did something that made every single person in the US and most of us North of their border take pause - they directly attacked civilians in what we would have seen as safe from warfare type city.

Now - to a lesser extent - we are given a reminder that it can be brought to Ottawa, or to St Jean sur Richelieu or to Norton... Anywhere in Canada... just as easily.

Terrorism is essentially bullying. So I am thinking about it the same way I do with my elementary school kids - we cannot let the bully win. And if the bully makes us afraid to live our lives the way we want to - they have won.

I have been in some dangerous parts of the world, and I have had a smattering of military and security training, and I can honestly tell you that if someone is determined to do something, and is smart enough to fly under the radar, they will accomplish it.

Any of us could buy a hunting rifle at Canadian Tire, hop in our car, drive anywhere and shoot anyone. Most of us would succeed - as the guy in Moncton who gunned down the RCMP sort of proved.

So no one is at fault here, and nothing really needs to be done - except perhaps make the door of parliament a little harder to open. Maybe someone should let you in? What we do need to do is not worry about this. Let's not fall apart and demand curfews and lock downs and security screenings. Let's not stop living the way we as Canadians have always lived.  Cause if we do - the bully wins.

And let's face it. implement whatever security measures you want. There are still going to be the crazy people with the guns willing to die for their cause. And we are still not going to see it coming.