Mods, if this post is too inflammatory please delete and dock me the requistie Milpoints.
I think,
There was something compelling about this death in the minds of many Canadians but it wasn't
just Trooper Karine Blais' gender:
-it was the timing and convergence of Karine's death with that of Afghanistan Women's Rights Activist Sitara Achakzai; Canadians tended to compare the two deaths--whether rightly or wrongly.
-it was the fact that Karine had only been in theatre 2 weeks--tragically un-tried; cut-down ... in her attempt to make this a better world--similar to what has befallen members of militaries throughout history.
-it was her youth--when it's a young death, as many have been,
my heart hurts; we are culturally programmed, hard-wired to protect the young regardless of gender.
These elements are outside the fact of Karine's gender but taken together conspired to act as a national Canadian symbol for worldwide injustices to women. To many Canadians, Karine became that symbol--her death forced them to stop in their tracks and question the mission.
This is not my opinion, this is what I've observed and here is one example:
http://transmontanus.blogspot.com/
(scroll down to Apr 15, 2009 entry)
I understand the feminist essentialist argument that SFB refers to; it underscores Coren's writing: women should be treated
equal to men but because of their essential biological differences males and females can never be considered the
same, but Coren goes too far. He
misleads and
conflates.
1) Misleads: the title " ... Sending Our Daughters to War in Afghanistan is Just Wrong." This was Karine's choice. Karine was not
forced to go anywhere as Coren implies with his title. How
arrogant of Michael Coren to denigrate the valiant choice this person made to defend her country and its values.
2) Conflates: Coren's hidden agenda is not so hidden as belied by the statement "the increasingly futile and pointless war in Afghanistan." If the author wants to write an opinion piece on the futility of the war in Afghanistan then he should do so; but, not by exploiting the deaths of either female or male Canadian soldiers. Karine was proud of her choice as indicated by statements made to the press by her mother.
3) But this turn of phrase of Coren's is, I find, intolerable " ... a young girl dressed up as a soldier ..." She passed muster, she was a
Canadian Forces trained, professional Van Doo! Coren deserves a swift kick
in the vicinity of his arrogant male testicles for that. How dare he reduce her efforts to that of a dress-up doll ... "another victim sacrificed on the alter of equality," indeed!!!
(@*&~WTF!!~*&^% :rage
And further, Karine was a "young woman" not a "young girl"-- It's belittling and disingenuous of Coren to try to sneak-in that distinction!
She was a beautiful young woman with a face that galvanized a nation--
I think that's undeniable. But hopefully Canadians will see beyond that fact and place Karine's efforts in respectful and honourable perspective alongside her brothers- and sisters-in-arms.
I believe Karine's sacrifice should not be seen as different than anyone else's based on gender. I think the CF showed exceptional leadership by firstly, anticipating public reaction and secondly, by immediately making it clear to the public that "females and males work shoulder to shoulder" in the Canadian Forces.
