Editor:
Every security company shill knows that before they can sell a security system, they must first sell fear. They must convince the buyer that they live in a dangerous world and that there are nasty people just waiting to steal the accumulation of their hard work before they can be sold the salve for their fear: the security system.
For only X dollars per month they too can buy peace of mind.
Stephen Harper’s re-election bid has taken a page out of the security sales manual. He is selling fear to Canadians in order to repackage himself and his government as the salve, the peace of mind Canadians want and need (not to be confused with actual peace).
Harper is telling Canadians that radical Islamists have declared war on Canadians and that we have reason to be fearful of threatened terrorism. Even though Canada already has ample laws to deal with such criminal acts, Harper intends to introduce new and improved anti-terrorism laws. Those laws are more about selling Harper’s re-election than they have to do with actually protecting Canadians.
Harper is also selling fear at the community level and is offering up a re-elected Conservative government as the salve that gives peace of mind. The latest Conservative party mailer, crafted in the PMO and sent to every home in every Conservative held riding across the country, localized with the PhotoShopped image of the respective Conservative MP, is a case in point. It reads: “What’s being done to help keep my family safe?” and “Our government is committed to helping make communities safer.” Really?
Despite statistics that show violent crime is significantly decreasing in Canada and despite statistics that show we live in more peaceful times internationally, we are being sold fear. Why? For Stephen Harper’s re-election. That’s crass!
Jef Keighley, Halfmoon Bay
