Friday, June 1, 2012

Canadian Islamic Congress Highlights Book of Essays About Plight of Poor Widdle Omar Khadr

The operative Yiddish word, I think, is "nebech" (but only if you use it ironically):
“For years, as though exiled, Omar Khadr disappeared below the radar of what matters,” writes Professor [Janice] Williamson [editor of the book Omar Khadr, Oh Canada--pretty catchy, no?] in her introduction. “Why?” 
Referencing Philosopher Simone Weil, she argues that people have a tendency to look away from those who need help. Her hope is that the anthology “reminds us of our responsibility to not look away.” 
Indeed, Canadians have looked away for too long from the emotionally challenging story of a child-soldier who “was dealt a sentence through his family name,” as activist Craig Kielburger notes in the book. “It’s unfair for any kids to have to live up to their parents,” he writes, reflecting on his brief encounter with Omar years ago in Pakistan. “It’s especially so when you’re a Khadr.”...
Since we're referencing the high-falutin', Poet T.S. Eliot once remarked that "humankind cannot bear very much reality." Which explains a lot about the likes of Craig Kielburger, who will likely never reflect on his own pathological cluelessness.

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