Out Loud! With Gurpreet Singh
Wed, September 24 2008
Shortly after the attacks in America, the outspoken prof stirred up considerable controversy by blaming “U.S. aggression” around the world for the worst incident in the history of aviation terrorism.
In the emotionally-charged environment surrounding the 3,000 deaths, she was virtually ostracized by corporate media and right wing commentators.
A women’s studies professor at UBC and a former president of the National Action Committee on the Status of Women, Thobani told an academic conference a month after the attacks: “Only a fool would be unable to recognize that U.S. imperialism and aggression had caused the Sept. 11 terror attacks. From Chile to El Salvador to Nicaragua to Iraq, the path of U.S. foreign policy is soaked in blood.”
As a visible minority, she became easy prey for those angered by her comments. She remembers how some unknown people tried to scare her and wanted her charged for making a hate speech.
Thobani delivered a speech on Canada’s domestic and foreign policies in the context of the post-9/11 environment at the Vancouver Public Library last week, where she stood by her position.
A poll done by Léger Marketing for the Association of Canadian Studies in 2006 revealed that a majority of Canadians – 77 per cent of Quebecers and 57 per cent of Ontarians – believe U.S. foreign policy was a root cause that led to the Sept. 11 attacks.
The association’s executive director admitted that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have contributed to a change of heart among many Canadians.
While Canadian troops continue to participate in the anti-terror war in Afghanistan, the Canadian government decided to stay away from the Iraq war, also launched to combat global terrorism.
Since the U.S. government failed to establish any connection between Iraq and the 9/11 attacks, or find any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, American foreign policy came under question.
It is sad how people like Dr. Thobani are often judged or dismissed because of their political persuasions or the colour of their skin.
Those who were mad at her should have listened to her more carefully to understand the complex roots of terrorism, instead of just accepting what the big powers that tried to demonize and marginalize her for her outspoken views.
For the Record:
Due to an editing error, the wrong headline appeared with last week’s installment of Out Loud! With Gurpreet Singh. Above a column about Second Lt. Jasper Singh Tatla and his appointment as the first turbaned Sikh in the Canadian Air Force, the headline from the previous week appeared. This was an accidental oversight.
The Post Group, publishers of the South Asian Post, Asian Pacific Post and The Filipino Post regrets the error and any distress it may have caused Mr. Tatla or his family.
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