- - - - - - - Langley Free Press Welcomes Your Comments - - - - - - - - - Name Email URL is optional
LFP,
You write"I don't know about you, but U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Stephen J. Mariano has provided me all the reasons to formulate my opinions on Canada staying in Afghanistan. How about you? I'm so glad he's here in Canada helping educate our students!...."
Sounds like he is doing exactly what Queen's was hoping he would do.
The University's role is to expose their students to a variety of viewpoints in order to allow for the development of well-rounded, well supported viewpoints. It’s not like elementary school where you teach students facts by rote and hope they can regurgitate those facts on command. The University experience is intended to develop minds and the only way to fully develop minds is to expose them to ideas. If you don't bring up the tough topics and encourage contrarian thought all you get is mindless clones. Frankly, if one’s viewpoint is insufficiently strong to sustain itself against well thought out criticism then it is of little use.
Sadly, I watch as commentators, here and elsewhere, parrot arguments with little independent thought. When challenged they reply by rote, like grade-one students, and expect their rewards. I congratulate Queen’s for exposing students to ideas and challenge detractors to address the ideas not the personalities.
I agree with you. Facilitating free & open ideas, opinions and questions are what Canadians are about and what LFP tries to promote however biased we are.
LFP,
Sorry if my final two sentences seemed a little harsh. I didn't mean to imply that you have any gross biases, just little ones like all the rest of us. My comment regarding parroting of opinions is reserved for some of my more colourful colleagues in the comments sections.
Regards,
LFP. Do you believe that the Canadians killed in the undeclared war by the Taliban and afiliates on 9-11 should simply be ignored. Are we to turn the other cheek? Should we just disregard this as a small error in human behaviour? If so, why do we get so angry when we hear of a pedestian killed by street racers right here in the Vancouver area, and demand that they be punished?
I believe that the US and the whole world have chased down and are continuing to chase down the 9-11 perpertrators. That is not to be debated, that is clear, obvious and the right thing to do. But arn't you the slight bit concerned that governments could use 9-11 to justify just about any military axtion? Do you buy U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Stephen J. Mariano rational? All of them? I'm sorry I don't.
I don't think anyone should buy all of the statements of outspoken pro and con critics on this war. There's too much emotion involved about this subject to think that people won't overstate their opinions. We all can be guilty of this at times.
Regards OUR government using 9/11 to justify any uneccessary military action.... that's the day we haven't seen yet..........so what and where's the beef?
The discussion and debate occured before our troops were sent to Afghanistan. The monday morning quarterbacking serves no purpose. Just think of some poor Canadian soldier looking at his mangled leg while hearing that a bunch of amatuers in the house of commons cast doubt on whether he should have been there in the first place. If we can't decide and hold firm to our decision, we should show a little empathy. While we are at it we should consider that many of these muslims have their brains frozen somewhere back in biblical times, and interpret our actions as a sign of weakness.
Commenting by HaloScan
