Ignorant xenophobes have a sad

Oh, this is just great. Maclean’s magazine an image of their latest cover, featuring Amanda Lindhout, Rinelle Harper and every ignorant white person’s terrorist boogeyman, Omar Khadr. The exclusive is about the bond three Canadians have developed after terrible personal tragedies.

Sexless lawyer Ezra Levant is losing his mind; so are Caucasian suburban moms. None of these people can see past their unintelligent, ignorant noses.

Do yourself a favour and read about the history of Omar Khadr. Coerced conviction, Guantanamo prisoner for a decade, child soldier.

In His Own Words

It is surreal to think such a notorious figure now calls Edmonton, Alberta home. Despite the fearmongering and misinformation from our federal “leaders”, we should embrace Mr. Khadr and actually take the time to learn about his experiences.

• In His Own Words: Omar Khadr (Michelle Shepard, Toronto Star)

Khadr out on bail, ignorant masses lament

Khadr is free, for now. Image courtesy Edmonton Journal.

“Mr. Harper is a bigot. Mr. Harper doesn’t like Muslims. When you put your children to bed, ask yourself if you’d want your children to be abused the way Omar Khadr was. He [Harper] wants to prove he’s tough on crime, so who does he pick on? A 15-year-old boy.” –Dennis Edney, Khadr lawyer

Omar Khadr. Few topics bring out the most awful Sun TV-esque, hate-wing Internet commentors than mention of what the papers dutifully refer to as a “convicted terrorist”. Scant few publications never fail to incite ignorance, Islamophobia and just general neanderthalic behavour with the mere mention of his name.

Here’s what we know: he was a goddamn 15-year-old in the middle of a violent war with an imperial nation (that’s the USA for those keeping score at home); he was coerced into a confession and then spent a decade being tortured at Guantanamo Bay.

To the cretins who shout, “He’s a convicted terrorist! He should rot in jail forever”, you have neither the intellectual inability nor the desire to think critically .

Omar Khadr’s story is a tragedy. Just like the all the lives lost in America’s endless march across the Middle East.

To everyone out there who shows no sympathy for people different than you, let me ask: if you were a 15-year-old in the midst of a civil war, if you were illegally detained, if you were tortured for years, would you expect forgiveness?

And here we are in Edmonton, a city that has now played a role in Khadr’s surreal trip from teenager to torture victim. Hopefully this is a journey towards a brighter future for Mr. Khadr.

The federal conservatives have predictably come out against Mr. Khadr’s bail agreement, with all the typical ignorant xenophobic base-pandering we’ve all come to expect from Steve Harper, the world’s most uninspiring Lego man.

I’ll let Mr. Khadr’s longtime lawyer respond.