For Shame

Recently, a teacher in Canada learned that an anti-gang organization in Chicago was sponsoring a poster contest.  She contact the National Gang Crime Research Centre to find out about entering her students in the contest (which was described as being for "North American" students, and also specified that entry was open to students in the United States and Canada), and received the following message in response:

29 Jan 2003

To Whom It May Concern:

We are a pro-law enforcement group and support initiatives against Gangs and Terrorism.

Recent national political statements from leaders in your country have, unfortunately, been non-supportive of American interests. Due to this unfortunate development we are no longer able to accept Canadian entries.

I am sure this is not a reflection on your own patriotism and your own perspectives on the issue, but in the current climate --- that is the way Americans are going to react.

Yours truly,

George Knox
Director
NGCRC

In response, here is the letter I sent to Mr. Knox:

I am truly saddened and shamed by your recent response to a Canadian teacher who inquired about having her student enter their artwork in your poster contest.  You are wrong in saying that "in the current climate --- this is how Americans are going to react".  If you've not noticed, there is little consensus as to whether Americans in general support the coming war or not, and there are a good number of Americans who, like me, will find your attitude disgraceful.  If nothing else, the massive anti-war protests last weekend speaks loudly to the fact that there are more than just a few Americans who don't believe in what our government is doing.  Will you be checking to see if the parents of any American students participated in the protests before deciding to accept their entries or not? 

From what I know about dealing with gangs, one of the most important things any kid can know is that even if gang members are trying to bully them into joining, they have the ability - and the right - to say "no".  Sadly, these days, America is acting more like a gang trying to bully other nations into joining us than anything else.  There is even talk of taking steps to damage - if not destroy - the German economy as retribution for their refusal to agree with our position.  (See this article in the Observer for more information: http://www.observer.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,896573,00.html )

The Canadian government doesn't feel that supporting the position of our government is in their best interest.  Just as any kid has the right to say "no" to a gang, the Canadians have the right to say "no" to President Bush - and whether their leaders want to agree with our leaders or not, it shouldn't have any impact on whether or not you allow young Canadian students to participate in a contest that might help them learn something about the dangers of gangs.