Yesterday, Tom Flanagan, a buddy of Prime Minister Harper’s called for the assassination of Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange. You can read the regina mom’s opinion on that over here.
Today, the University of Calgary professor, Flanagan says he has regrets regarding his remarks. “I regret that I made a glib comment about a serious issue,” he said.
Note that he does not apologize for the statement, which still would not be enough to make up for his call for execution of or his allusion to “disappearing” Assange. Words have power.
As a writer, I am learning something about the power of words. I try to use their power for good. Surely, Flanagan, a former Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Harper and a university professor, knows something about the power of words to manipulate thinking and control behavior. It’s the kind of thing an abuser does. You know, the “honeymoon” period, after the abuse.
And, as he no doubt knew they would, his “regrets” today give his abusive words from yesterday yet another day to play in the minds of Canadians. Of course, our media will not dig deeply into this, but forgive him his bad judgement. And play it all out.
Again.
