Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 1:06 am
Monte Solberg
Scott Reid wrote a very exciting piece for the Globe where he employed the language of warfare and exhorted Liberals to, figuratively, “kill” the Prime Minister, and “put him in his grave” etc.
This is not a criticism of Scott’s metaphor for being too violent. In fact I bet you can’t name me one decent person that you know who doesn’t absolutely love violent metaphors about the rumble of tanks, flashing swords and the report of the rifle. (See…you’ve got nothing!) That said I thought Scott’s use of the bracing, “kill” one right after the other did sound like something that was less martial and more Norman Bates, but I digress.
My point is not that his rhetoric is overwrought. In fact I am honestly so tired of those whiny people who take literally what people obviously employ figuratively that I am going to wage war against them (Scott you have to admit that a lot of that politically correct thought-police stuff is in your party). My problem is that I think Scott’s strategy could would torpedo democracy.
Here’s the problem. Scott is going on about strategy and tactics, which is exactly the criticism that has been leveled at the Prime Minister. Right now we need statesmen and leadership. Don’t worry Scott the time for all that figurative killing will come soon, its just not right now! Besides, would you really follow a General Dion into battle as he surveys the battlefield from atop his Shetland pony?
In Canada we actually do settle these things with ballots not bullets and of course the Conservatives received a lot more ballots than the Liberals just six weeks ago so the Conservatives get to be the government. Any coalition of the “ists” (socialists, separatists and opportunists) would be destabilizing for the country. Imagine what the markets would do at the prospect of that unholy alliance.
Put your sword back in it’s scabbard Scott. Give peace a chance.
