LETTER
Assumptions in editorial on immigration need to be addressed
The editorial on immigration argues that the media pays undue attention to immigration and terrorism and that the way to address the issue is principally by more and better education. As someone who is foreign born, has 35 years of domestic and international experience in immigration and believes strongly that immigration can be a positive force, there is a need to address the editorial's assumptions.
The Islamic terrorism we see today has aspects absent from the terrorism we have seen in the past. For example, whereas the anarchists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century targeted the powerful, today's terrorists target all who do not share their ideology, including mainstream Muslims, at their weakest points to inflict maximum damage. The frequency, scope and brutality of their acts naturally garner attention. What compounds the issue is that most often their perpetrators are recent arrivals or their offspring. Less frequently, they include recent converts to their ideology. It is hardly surprising that the public questions whether this is an acceptable consequence of immigration. The replay in the media is not of the Charlie Hebdo massacre but of the repetition of similar outrages elsewhere. That this situation results in extensive media coverage and debate about answers is hardly surprising. Nor is media coverage all negative. In Canada, the media coverage of the Syrian refugees has been overwhelmingly positive. In Europe, there has been considerable reluctance by some parts of the media and by governments to acknowledge such occurrences as the sexual violence perpetrated at public events such as the New Year's Eve gathering in Cologne.
More education is put forward as an answer to address the appeal of terrorism. An examination of the educational backgrounds of those committing terrorists acts indicates the appeal of Islamic terrorism is not restricted to the poorly educated and the mentally unbalanced. Many are well educated with white collar jobs. Better education no doubt has a role but is hardly a panacea. Similarly, better mental health treatments have a place in overcoming the scourge of terrorism by those so afflicted but they are a small minority. Not mentioned in the editorial, but vital in responding to terrorism, is careful background screening of those applying to migrate and effective police and security work against those who threaten the safety and security of Canadians. The best way to safeguard the good name of immigrants is to respond effectively to those whose actions bring immigration into disrepute. This will end the attention of the media to terrorism but, as long as terrorism continues, so will media attention.
Gerry Van Kessel
Aylmer
