David Martin’s Blog post highlights the massive kind efforts from the Canadian government towards Syrian refugees as juxtaposition towards the efforts of the United States. Martin emphasizes the great difference of populations of Canada and the United States, and the vital fact that Canada took in 39,000 refugees where our great big neighbours down south only took in 13,000. He expresses concern for the waitlisted Syrian refugees who were refrained from entering the United States due to President Donald Trump’s “Muslim Ban”. The United States’ “Islamophobia” is shameful as a nation – thousands of Syrians are unable to flee to safety, unable to begin new lives, unable to be safe from unspeakable harm. David Martin points out that the civil war is not the people’s fault, “it was the tragic result of America’s ill-thought-out and illegal incursion into Iraq”. He follows through by explaining how the Syrian conflict began, through George W. Bush’s involvement with Iraq.
What I want to concentrate on is the United States’ stance towards helpless Syrian refugees. The nations’ perceptions on Islam are truly detrimental to the lives of Syrian refugees. Even those who are not Muslim are affected, as the United States have not matched their efforts to take in refugees to those efforts of Canadians – despite their contrasting enormous population. The racism, the unethical treatment of others, the negative connotations and biases, even to an extent, the “Islamophobic” people are refraining those helpless Syrian souls from bettering their lives.

As another Canadian commenting on another Canadian’s blog, as a message to all my fellow Canadians, please continue these efforts. Please continue to be ethical. Let us forward our nation in place of encouraging Medieval perceptions. An ethical nation has so much more to be proud of, to fight for. Let us push these Americans to follow our footsteps towards a better future.

Word Count: 307

Works Cited

Martin, David. “America’s Shameful Treatment Of Syrian Refugees.” The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post, 10 Mar. 2017. Web. 16 Mar. 2017. <http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/david-martin/americas-treatment-of-syrian-refugees_b_15237804.html>.

Following the failed coup attempt last July in Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erogan has been keenly pushing for a referendum – one that is to take place this April. If this referendum were to succeed, it would shift Turkey’s government system to presidential from parliamentary. “Three legislative bodies into one executive branch under Erdogan” thus giving him more power than ever.

Two Turkish politicians who were sent to the Netherlands wanting to take part in a constitutional referendum campaign rally were denied entry, it is said for security reasons. Erdogan, outraged blatantly named the Dutch government of Nazism, threatening to brutally retaliate. He did, in fact, use those harsh words against Germans as well. “I thought Nazism was over but I was wrong… What we saw in the last couple of days in Germany and Netherlands are the reflections of Islamophobia.” Said International Goodness Awards in Istanbul on March 12^th 2017.

On one hand, countless European governments question Turkey’s democracy and assertion of basic human rights. It is vital to note that Turkey is, on record, the country with the highest number of jailed journalists in 2016. The nation exercises frequent media censorship, and immoral arrests of extremely large numbers. Not to mention, as Germany officially declared the massacre and illegal deportation of 1.5 million Armenians “a genocide”, Turkey really lost it.

Without getting into this extremely long, complex conflict, let us analyze these outlined issues in relation to Organizational Behaviour. Erdogan exerts a sense of coercive power, essentially instilling fear and threatening the government of Netherlands and Germany. When he does not like the outcome, the tactics he uses are completely immoral and senseless. He uses negative pressure, in the place if rational persuasion. Erdogan is not using positive types of political activity, he is in fact unjustly attacking others, and being extremely unethical as a leader of a nation.

Word Count: 310

Works Cited

McLaughlin, Eliott C. “Tensions Rising between Turkish, European Leaders before Elections.” CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2017. <http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/12/europe/turkish-dutch-tensions-increase/>.

Minkoff, Yoel. “Turkey’s Souring Relations with Europe.” Seeking Alpha. N.p., 13 Mar. 2017. Web. 16 Mar. 2017. <http://seekingalpha.com/news/3250517-turkeys-souring-relations-europe?ifp=0>.

Palkot, Greg. “Tensions Flare between Turkey and the Netherlands.” Fox News. FOX News Network, n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2017. <http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/03/14/tension-flare-between-turkey-and-netherlands.html>.

Concordia University in Montreal, Canada was evacuated on March 1^st, 2017 due to a bomb threat against Muslim students. A letter from the so-called organization of “C⁴” – the Council of Conservative Citizens of Canada – sent a letter to several news media outlets, such as the Montreal Gazette. The letter stated that explosives would be set off between the 1^st and 3^rd of March of the H and EV buildings, its primary goal to injure Muslim students. The C⁴ group aims to have Concordia University ban any Islam-related activities, which is asserted that they will continue setting off bombs every day of the time frame until the University takes this discriminatory action. The letter also mentions the root of their complaint, that “Friday prayers, men washing their feet in sinks and men walking in bare feet or flip-flops and often anti-Christian and anti-Jewish speeches” need to be ceased at once, as their previously filed complaint did not result in any necessary action from the Concordia Student Union. The letter was also sent to McGill University, and the Montreal Police are conducting further investigation of the issue. It is vital to note that the letter clearly states “Now that President Trump is in office south of the border, things have changed…”.

The C⁴, in my personal perception, must be listed as an official terrorist group for their extreme acts against Muslims. They are a group that is incapable of positive conflict management and ethical behavior. There is a notable cultural difference among Muslims and non-Muslims, however this is not a proactive method of creating change. John Krotter’s eight-step plan in my opinion, will most definitely help create change for Concordia University. Neglecting the issue is definitely not aiding the situation, the best approach to creating change is to be respectful and ethical on both sides of the conflict for correct conflict resolution.

Word Count: 310

References:

Riga, Andy. “Concordia’s Hall, EV, GM Buildings Evacuated Because of Bomb

Threats against Muslims.” Montreal Gazette. Montreal Gazette, 01 Mar.

2017. Web. 02 Mar. 2017. <http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-

news/montreal-police-investigate-bomb-threats-at-concordia-university>.