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| WARS on EVERYTHING
Friday, October 14, 2022 ~ column #7150
We all believe what we want to think for whatever reason we want to believe it – the more fervent that belief, the more ardent in our resistance to another point of view. Economists and bankers are swatting a fly called inflation with a sledgehammer called high-interest rates, which are now rising nearly as fast as food and commodity prices – oh bother, what to do?
Chip wars, trade wars, war on inflation, war on the economy, and a war on housing prices …
And a war on what was or wasn’t judged right during a worldwide pandemic that paralyzed everything an election or two, party fights and election campaigns.
Re-litigating insurrections, cover-ups, and wrongdoing of every kind – it is sometimes hard to believe we are the most intelligent, advanced and democratic humans ever.
Whether it is Canadians doing a post-mortem on the invocation of the Emergencies Act last February, an inquiry to rehash it all, why people were angry, why a convoy wasn’t stopped, why it was allowed to stay in place before being removed by authority our federal government had (or did they really?) will be unfolding in the coming weeks. The press and opposition will have their moments in the sun – the Hockey Canada scandal will fill the pages. Danielle Smith ‘stepping in it’ every day will soon morph into an every-other day happening, and then less often (we should all hope so), as the campaign-fever stump-rhetoric morphs into day-to-day governing, and what the government says slides down below the fold …
It’s essential, of course, to hold people accountable for their judgements and actions, but it seems we’re distracted right now, as are our American neighbours – they’re running up to an election, re-hashing events of two years ago on their presidential election troubles and trials of mass murderers, and insurrectionists.
But shouldn’t we all be focused on holding Putin accountable?
The olive branch of peace, reconciliation, resolution and compromise are needed now more than ever. But our little problems with inflation, interest rates, energy supplies to Europe this winter, Ms. Smith, Mr. Trudeau, Mr. Poilievre, and that assorted gang of Democrats and Republicans – deserve little of our attention right now while they all point fingers at each other …
Meanwhile, as Putin’s desperate war machine sputters and splatters innocent blood amongst the useless rubble as he tries to re-draw the map, world leaders fuss about oil prices and inflation. Putin’s focus is now, and has entirely been, one of conquest and legacy for a devious victory-hungry maniac.
Many would equate him to Hitler. Some think we don’t have to look far to find more recent maniacs needing to be stopped.
I don’t see Putin stopping until someone stops him. That is where our leaders should be focused. The other day the United Nations took a vote to repudiate him; the vote was to condemn Russia’s illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory – 35 countries abstained, five voted no; 143 voted to condemn. Large numbers, lots of rhetoric, but what will change? The five (Russia, Belarus, North Korea, Syria and Nicaragua) include the perpetrator, and China is among the abstentions. Sadly, nothing, in terms of action, will flow from the UN.
The importance of everything we worry about is known to us in real-time, and we are caught up in our focus on what we cannot control, and the free world is not taking sufficient action to work on something we can control. Yes, it will be expensive in money and lives to defeat Putin and clean up the mess after, but what will the cost be if Putin’s unhinged atrocities are allowed to continue any longer?
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