| (06 Apr 2000)
Last night I attended a meeting at
which the speakers outlined issues
related to freedom of speech and civil
society. Although many issues were
raised, I would like to address two
today: (1) The continuing saga of Helmut
Oberlander, and (2) the social and
political significance of Raphael
Bergmann.
First, the case of Helmut Oberlander
will be before the courts. This past
week, lawyers for Oberlander asked the
federal court to deny the federal
cabinet from deciding whether Oberlander
should be deported.
Oberlander’s lawyers maintain that
allegations against their client were
not proven in the 1998 hearing and
therefore cabinet does not have the
right to act on the case.
The application is now under review,
but it is not known how the government
will act. The government has 10 days to
contest Oberlander’s application.
Petitions are still making their way
around asking people to make a statement
to their government requesting that
Oberlander NOT be deported due to the
fact that the case was based upon
‘probabilities.’
In speaking to one lady about the
petition, she lamented about many
German-Canadians who are refusing to
sign the petition because they are
afraid of persecution by the Canadian
government. Strange that, in this day
and age, Canadians are concerned about
‘big brother’ tactics by the
government, but such concerns are
reflective of the oppressive society in
which we live. That is, people are
seriously concerned that the government,
who is under the control of a socially
and politically militant left-wing
lobby, will strike out at those who do
not agree with its policies. It is, in
no uncertain terms, a concern about
personal well-being and safety.
But, in times such as these, we
simply cannot idly stand-by, waiting for
the government to take away our rights
and freedoms. We must make our voice
heard, and create social change by
becoming a unified political power.
Scare tactics, such as government
persecution, divide us as a unified
movement. If we cower under the
pressure, and yield to left-wing
totalitarianism, we will never be heard
of again. |
This same assertion was made by the two
speakers at last night's meeting, and I
credit them with raising my awareness
about the need to become politically
active.
There are many freedom-fighters of
this world that we can take the lead
from, even those whom we do not agree.
We must become active citizens, gain an
understanding of the political nature of
modern society, and make change
accordingly.
I am not suggesting that, by active
citizens, we become militant
revolutionaries and overthrow the
government. To do so is absolutely
rediculous and uncalled for, the loss of
human life is not an advantage to those
wishing to encourage social change.
I am, however, suggesting that we
become politically active, work within
the system, be respectful of the laws of
Canada, and show our dissent openly, and
carry that disagreement into the
political realm and win political office
on a legitimate basis.
 Last
night, Raphael Bergmann was brought up
on a number of occasions. He is, in my
mind as well as many others,
representative of the new-Canadian who
will not bow to the tactics of
defamatory labels and massive
persecution lobbied against him. He is a
man who, in the face of widespread,
unrepresentative media coverage and
personal and economic liability, a
fighter for freedom and dignity. Mr.
Bergmann has opted to fight the system
by using the system; he has decided that
the most functional and appropriate
means to winning the battle of
oppression is through public forum and
peaceful assembly. And for that, I
applaud him.
Show your support for these two
individuals. Their circumstances are
micro-representations of the battle that
we will, at some point in our lives, all
face – the battle of individual
liberty, human dignity, and the need to
exist in a civil society.
Visit Raphael Bergmann’s website at
www.freedom-fighter.org
(it has been recently updated).
Or, write a letter of support for
Oberlander to:
- The Department
of Justice Canada
- 284 Wellington
Street
- Ottawa,
Ontario
- K1A 0H8
- Canada
- Tel.: (613)
957-4222
|
