Denial

[redbird]

When I spoke to my mother last week, I mentioned (among many other things) that when I want to see papersky, rysmiel, and zorinth, I have to visit Montreal, because they don't feel safe coming to the United States to visit me.

Mom asked why, and I explained. This involved me giving a three-sentence summary of what happened to Maher Arar. Her response was that they had nothing to worry about because "They don't look Arab."

Right. I'm sure that's a great reassurance to them.

Comments

[marykaykare.livejournal.com]

Well given that the person involved is an Irish citizen living in Canda, roughly the same position of Arar, they had no wish to repeat the experience or give them an opportunity for -- other nastiness. As papersky says, "Even one day being tortured in Syria is too many."

MKK

[elusis.livejournal.com]

I wasn't aware that Ireland and Syria had similar policies on the persecution and torture of their citizens.

I also wasn't aware that Irish citizens were being globally targeted as potential terror suspects in the way that citizens of many Middle Eastern countries are.

[marykaykare.livejournal.com]

Well, all we could figure when they did it to rysmiel but not papersky or zorinth when they were all traveling together is that someone somewhere considered Ireland a possible terrorist country. For which you could make a case you know.

But if you feel so passionately about this perhaps you should argue it with papersky and rysmiel rather than me.

MKK