THE battle lines over an Australian bill of rights are being drawn with a polarisation that will disturb the Rudd Government, which made the tactical decision to defer the republic campaign and give priority to the rights debate.Read the rest here.
What do former Australian chief of army Peter Cosgrove, former governor-general Ninian Stephen and original chairwoman of the Northern Territory Emergency Task Force Sue Gordon have in common? They are the Australians who launched, wrote the foreword and the afterword to the new book Don't Leave Us with the Bill, the case against the bill of rights.
In his launch speech this week Cosgrove said he believed the issue was "possibly more important" than the republic. He warned that the Australian public was unimpressed with "me-tooism", being lectured that it must have a bill of rights when such laws "have made not a jot of difference to crushing inequities" in other societies.
"Enduring laws ought not to be a fashion statement," Cosgrove said on Monday when he declared: "Don't leave us with the bill."
Pledged opponents in this book are: Queensland Chief Justice Paul de Jersey; former High Court judge Ian Callinan; former solicitor-general David Bennett; former NSW judge and past president of the Australian Bar Association Ken Handley; historians John Hirst and Geoffrey Blainey; former chief of operations in Iraq Jim Molan; West Australian Attorney-General Christian Porter; University of Sydney professor of law Helen Irving; former Keating minister Gary Johns; the leader of the Catholic Church in Australia, George Pell; deputy president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry John Levi; Australian Christian Lobby head Jim Wallace; former PM John Howard; and shadow attorney-general George Brandis, among others.
The message is that Australia's most prominent opponent of the bill of rights, former NSW Labor premier, Bob Carr, has strong support on both his flanks. The new book from the Menzies Research Centre, co-edited by its executive director Julian Lesser and lawyer Ryan Haddrick, penetrates the fog of polemic around this issue, created by a self-interested legal lobby and human rights industry.
The arguments against a bill of rights are powerful, intellectual and populist. The Rudd Government will commit an act of folly by ignoring them. There is a chance that Frank Brennan, chairman of the consultation panel on the rights issue, may offer the Government an exit strategy.
But if Attorney-General Robert McClelland is allowed to proceed Kevin Rudd will find himself engulfed in a culture war over power, rights and values, with unusual dividing lines.
Saturday, 30 May, 2009
Rights bill won't pay
By Paul Kelly, via The Australian:
Friday, 29 May, 2009
Today's Round-Up
First off, Paul Wells expounds on how the Globe and Mail just ain't the way it used to be, and the CBC is also feeling the brunt of the media crunch.
Meanwhile, Lorrie Goldstein on the cap and trade charade, And C-SPAN has chosen, somewhat stuffily, not to sue the Tories over the C-SPAN footage used in their attack ads against Michael Igatieff. Kevin Libin on Alberta's god-awful human rights legislation, a useful idiot at work, the other employer, and the Governor General who hunted seal.
Plus, Sharia investing, old Jews telling old jokes, and not death - well, not quite - but taxes.
Meanwhile, Lorrie Goldstein on the cap and trade charade, And C-SPAN has chosen, somewhat stuffily, not to sue the Tories over the C-SPAN footage used in their attack ads against Michael Igatieff. Kevin Libin on Alberta's god-awful human rights legislation, a useful idiot at work, the other employer, and the Governor General who hunted seal.
Plus, Sharia investing, old Jews telling old jokes, and not death - well, not quite - but taxes.
An executive decision
Effective immediately, I have decided to retire my recurring Levant-Jaunt segment. The reason that I had it in place to begin with was mainly so that I could keep track of developments in Ezra Levant's freedom of speech one-man crusade, without actually having to reference every mention of Ezra that was kicking around the web.
But the time for that has sort of passed; Ezra's case is over, his book is out and doing well, and his story is part of blogosphere legend by now. There's not really so much of a need for link aggregation, apart from the Binkses fine work over at Free Mark Steyn.
And so, thus ends a beautiful chapter in my blog's history. I'll probably keep on linking to Ezra's stuff - maybe in my 'latest' sidebar at the top of my blog. And I'm going to keep up with the Mark Madness segment for now.
Cheers!
But the time for that has sort of passed; Ezra's case is over, his book is out and doing well, and his story is part of blogosphere legend by now. There's not really so much of a need for link aggregation, apart from the Binkses fine work over at Free Mark Steyn.
And so, thus ends a beautiful chapter in my blog's history. I'll probably keep on linking to Ezra's stuff - maybe in my 'latest' sidebar at the top of my blog. And I'm going to keep up with the Mark Madness segment for now.
Cheers!
Tuesday, 26 May, 2009
Today's Round-Up
This one's pretty brief.
First off, Marc Emery has been granted a delay in his extradition hearing.
And in BC politics, Wally Oppal in Delta-South faces a recount, and loses by 32 votes. And while there will be a judicial recount in Wally Oppal's case, Cariboo-Chilcotin NDP candidate Charlie Wyse has lost the recount game.
Meanwhile, a forensic video analyst has testified that video footage of Robert Dziekanski shows Dziekanski made a move toward police before, you know, they killed him.
And in Alberta, the provincial Tories are amending the 'parental rights' section of their shiny new Bill 44 before it becomes law. Now if only they would amend Bill 44's HRC section.
Plus, a new Mike Judge show, and should Amazon be able to patent its one-click process?
First off, Marc Emery has been granted a delay in his extradition hearing.
And in BC politics, Wally Oppal in Delta-South faces a recount, and loses by 32 votes. And while there will be a judicial recount in Wally Oppal's case, Cariboo-Chilcotin NDP candidate Charlie Wyse has lost the recount game.
Meanwhile, a forensic video analyst has testified that video footage of Robert Dziekanski shows Dziekanski made a move toward police before, you know, they killed him.
And in Alberta, the provincial Tories are amending the 'parental rights' section of their shiny new Bill 44 before it becomes law. Now if only they would amend Bill 44's HRC section.
Plus, a new Mike Judge show, and should Amazon be able to patent its one-click process?
A peace tax, eh?
Novel idea:
Now, I think that the idea of our taxes going toward one specific thing - if only figuratively, is quite interesting. My main hold-up is this, though: why just this? I disagree with public health coverage, and with our current welfare system, and with the CRTC, and with the CHRC and other Human Rights Commissions - does that mean that I can, at least figuratively, with-hold my tax dollars from them as well? Can I just pour my taxes toward the building of roads? The problem with this is not that it is a one-way street, but that it is a street leading to a whole nexus of other streets, some of whom go into the woods, some into the lake, and some of whom wind up back where they started.
Now, if he were proposing that tax dollars could be given toward specific costs, I might agree with him - or at least, I would be willing to consider the idea. In fact, I think this method could have something to offer; indeed, it would almost be a capitalist system. If one program falls into disfavor, for whatever reason, then they won't recieve funding from the public - although room could be made to divert funds from one enterprise to another, if absolutely necessary.
But, alas, this will not be for some time, and until then, I'm afraid Mr. Siksay is going down the wrong path; or perhaps simply too exclusive of a path.
A private member's bill proposed by a B.C. MP would see income tax paid by Canadians who oppose war be put into a special account not to be used by the military.
Burnaby-Douglas New Democrat MP Bill Siksay said he wants conscientious objectors to be able to register with the Canada Revenue Agency so their taxes can be diverted to a special peace tax account.
If Bill C-390 passes, the government would be able to access the account for anything except military spending.
"The reality is this would be a symbolic measure because the government still collects…tax dollars from everybody and the government will still decide how they are spent," Siksay said.
"But it makes a point about some people who believe that the government shouldn't be spending money on making war or buying armament."
Siksay acknowledged the bill has little chance of passing, but said that's not the point.
"You know, you table private member's bills and motions to make a point and to try to stimulate discussion on issues and to provide a specific tool for lobbying and promoting change, and that's what this particular private member's bill about the peace tax is all about," he said.
Now, I think that the idea of our taxes going toward one specific thing - if only figuratively, is quite interesting. My main hold-up is this, though: why just this? I disagree with public health coverage, and with our current welfare system, and with the CRTC, and with the CHRC and other Human Rights Commissions - does that mean that I can, at least figuratively, with-hold my tax dollars from them as well? Can I just pour my taxes toward the building of roads? The problem with this is not that it is a one-way street, but that it is a street leading to a whole nexus of other streets, some of whom go into the woods, some into the lake, and some of whom wind up back where they started.
Now, if he were proposing that tax dollars could be given toward specific costs, I might agree with him - or at least, I would be willing to consider the idea. In fact, I think this method could have something to offer; indeed, it would almost be a capitalist system. If one program falls into disfavor, for whatever reason, then they won't recieve funding from the public - although room could be made to divert funds from one enterprise to another, if absolutely necessary.
But, alas, this will not be for some time, and until then, I'm afraid Mr. Siksay is going down the wrong path; or perhaps simply too exclusive of a path.
Monday, 25 May, 2009
Today's Mark Madness
Links Steynian:
Threedonia.com
Token Conservative
Richard Viguerie's Conservative HQ
ThePolitic
The Casper Star-Tribune
Content Steynian:
In NRO's The Corner:
New Mantra
When Barry Met Bibi
The Stable Door
Seasons Steynian: The Battle Hymn of the Republic
In the OC Register: Statism the only thing being stimulated
On culture: Boy on the Right
On the Hugh Hewitt show: Mark Steyn's analysis of a tale of two speeches today
On the world: When Barry Met Bibi
In Macleans: Monday, the President ate a burger
On the world: Foreign Language
In Mark's blog: Close enough
Plus, more links Steynian, Levantian, and Freespeechian over at Free Canuckistan.
Threedonia.com
Token Conservative
Richard Viguerie's Conservative HQ
ThePolitic
The Casper Star-Tribune
Content Steynian:
In NRO's The Corner:
New Mantra
When Barry Met Bibi
The Stable Door
Seasons Steynian: The Battle Hymn of the Republic
In the OC Register: Statism the only thing being stimulated
On culture: Boy on the Right
On the Hugh Hewitt show: Mark Steyn's analysis of a tale of two speeches today
On the world: When Barry Met Bibi
In Macleans: Monday, the President ate a burger
On the world: Foreign Language
In Mark's blog: Close enough
Plus, more links Steynian, Levantian, and Freespeechian over at Free Canuckistan.
Today's Round-up
In BC political news, Wally Oppal and Charlie Wyse are falling behind on the recount, and let's talk a little bit more about the Green Party.
Meanwhile, Ed Stelmach's boneheaded Bill 44's classroom measures recieve new criticism from the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, plagiarism at the Conference Board of Canada, Lorne Gunter on the Liberal Party's hypocrisy, and the Inside the Queensway committee lookahead. Ruby Dhalla's still in the with the Liberal Party of Canada, the European Union doesn't seem to be getting along at all well with actual democracy ( go figure ),and what empty condos?
Plus, Iran has arrested 104 'devil worshippers', politics trumps charity, and T.V. antennae are serving a useful purpose again vis a vis digital cable.
Meanwhile, Ed Stelmach's boneheaded Bill 44's classroom measures recieve new criticism from the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, plagiarism at the Conference Board of Canada, Lorne Gunter on the Liberal Party's hypocrisy, and the Inside the Queensway committee lookahead. Ruby Dhalla's still in the with the Liberal Party of Canada, the European Union doesn't seem to be getting along at all well with actual democracy ( go figure ),and what empty condos?
Plus, Iran has arrested 104 'devil worshippers', politics trumps charity, and T.V. antennae are serving a useful purpose again vis a vis digital cable.
Sunday, 24 May, 2009
"Handley faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a three-year term of supervised release."
And why does Handley face such charges? Why, for collecting manga comic books. Oh, sure, the manga in question violates the laws of 'obscenity' - whatever that means - in the United States.
But does the possession of, basically, literature, no matter how 'obscene', warrant a criminal charge?
From the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund ( seriously, you should contribute ):
But does the possession of, basically, literature, no matter how 'obscene', warrant a criminal charge?
From the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund ( seriously, you should contribute ):
According to a press release issued by the Department of Justice, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has learned that Christopher Handley, the Iowa manga collector, has pleaded guilty "to possessing obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children and mailing obscene material." CBLDF had served as a special consultant to Mr. Handley's defense. The government's press release states, "Handley faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a three-year term of supervised release." Additionally, he forfeits all property seized in his prosecution.
The CBLDF became special consultant to Mr. Handley's defense team last October. In this limited role, the Fund facilitated access to First Amendment experts; recommended expert witnesses on manga; and funded expert research pursuant to an eventual jury trial. The CBLDF spent $2,400 on that research, and had allocated up to $15,000 for expert witness expenses.
"Naturally, we are very disappointed by this result, but understand that in a criminal case, every defendant must make the decision that they believe serves their best interest," CBLDF Executive Director Charles Brownstein said. "Because the set of facts specific to this case were so unique, we hope that its importance as precedent will be minimal. However, we must also continue to be prepared for the possibility that other cases could arise in the future as a result."
Brownstein adds, "Mr. Handley now faces the loss of his freedom and his property, all for owning a handful of comic books. It's chilling. The Fund remains unwavering in our commitment to be prepared to manage future threats of this nature wherever they arise. This is the unfortunate conclusion of Mr. Handley's case, but it is not the end of this sort of prosecution. For that reason, the Fund stands steadfast in our commitment to defending the First Amendment rights of the comics art form."
What I'm reading: Faust
I don't want to go through a standard review of Faust. Instead, I think I'll just share a passage from it. This is from Faust's opening lines toward the beginning of the play:
Philosophy have I digested,The whole of Law and Medicine,
From each its secrets I have wrested,
Theology, alas, thrown in.
Poor fool, with all this sweated lore,
I stand no wiser than I was before.
Master and Doctor are my titles;
For ten years now, without repose,
I've held my erudite recitals
And led my pupils by the nose.
And round we go, on crooked ways or straight,
And well I know that ignorance is our fate,
And this I hate.
I have, I grant, outdistanced all the others,
Doctors, pedants, clergy and lay-brothers;
All plague of doubts and scruples I can quell,
And have no fear of devil or of hell,
And in return am destitute of pleasure,
Knowing that knowledge tricks us beyond measure,
That man's conversion is beyond my reach,
Knowing the emptiness of what I teach.
Meanwhile I live in penury,
No worldly honour falls to me.
No dog would linger on like this,
And so I turn to the abyss
Of necromancy, try if art
Can voice or power of spirits start,
To do me service and reveal
The things of Nature's secret seal,
And save me from the weary dance
Of holding forth in ignorance.
Today's Mark Madness
Links Steynian:
Lucianne.com
Right Wing News
The Blue Pelican
Content Steynian:
In NRO's The Corner:
New Mantra
24-Hour Lift-and-Separate Biological Clock
The Taxman Takes Two-thirds of Your Virginity
You Can't Get out of Dodge, but Dodge Can Get out of You
What's So Wrong with Obama Motors?
A Long-Shot Appeal
The Stable Door
When Barry Met Bibi
Seasons Steynian: Memorial Day
In the OC Register: Statism the only thing being stimulated
On Canada and the Commonwealth: Escalating Control
On Brass Balls Radio: Brass Balls Radio - Show 50
On arts and culture: To Non-Boldly Go
In Macleans: Monday, the President ate a burger
Mark's song of the week: Everything's Coming Up Roses
On the Hugh Hewitt show: Mark Steyn's analysis of a tale of two speeches today
In Mark's blog: Close enough
Plus, more links Steynian, Levantian, and Freespeechian over at Free Canuckistan.
Lucianne.com
Right Wing News
The Blue Pelican
Content Steynian:
In NRO's The Corner:
New Mantra
24-Hour Lift-and-Separate Biological Clock
The Taxman Takes Two-thirds of Your Virginity
You Can't Get out of Dodge, but Dodge Can Get out of You
What's So Wrong with Obama Motors?
A Long-Shot Appeal
The Stable Door
When Barry Met Bibi
Seasons Steynian: Memorial Day
In the OC Register: Statism the only thing being stimulated
On Canada and the Commonwealth: Escalating Control
On Brass Balls Radio: Brass Balls Radio - Show 50
On arts and culture: To Non-Boldly Go
In Macleans: Monday, the President ate a burger
Mark's song of the week: Everything's Coming Up Roses
On the Hugh Hewitt show: Mark Steyn's analysis of a tale of two speeches today
In Mark's blog: Close enough
Plus, more links Steynian, Levantian, and Freespeechian over at Free Canuckistan.
Today's Round-Up
First off, the National Post's editorial board lays out three options for Ontario's Human Rights Commission, vis a vis the PC election.
Also, the Tamils apparently admire the Quebec model of Canada-dependent separatism, for reasons which are their own, Alberta is losing its place as the king of beers, and more on the Ruby Dhalla debacle.
Meanwhile, you can take a look at Ian Robinson's latest column here, and the new face of underground book-running.
Plus, George Costanza lives in China, a full-sized statue of Andy McMeachan in chains , Kuwaiti cinema and cinema censorship, and telecom monopolies, and the walking bicycle DUI.
Also, the Tamils apparently admire the Quebec model of Canada-dependent separatism, for reasons which are their own, Alberta is losing its place as the king of beers, and more on the Ruby Dhalla debacle.
Meanwhile, you can take a look at Ian Robinson's latest column here, and the new face of underground book-running.
Plus, George Costanza lives in China, a full-sized statue of Andy McMeachan in chains , Kuwaiti cinema and cinema censorship, and telecom monopolies, and the walking bicycle DUI.
Saturday, 23 May, 2009
Surreality
C'mon, you can't tell me that this picture doesn't have a touch of the Stepford surreal:
But whatever. Sounds like they throw a good party, over at 24 Sussex.
"Secret negotiations" could lead to your laptop being seized for file sharing
By Bill Snyder, via ITBusiness.ca:
You're returning to the U.S. from a quick trip to Canada. A customs official says he wants to examine your laptop. You boot it for him and he finds (gasp!) a bootlegged copy of Allen Toussaint's new CD. "Sorry, sir, we'll have to hold on to that."Read the whole thing here.
Just like that, your MacBook is the property of the U.S. government and you're out $1,600. Or maybe it becomes known that you've shared music or an old version of WordPerfect online. Good-bye Internet account.
That couldn't happen today. But Hollywood and the software industry are in a lather about piracy, so they're pushing a draconian, international agreement that could make those ugly scenarios an everyday occurrence.
Called the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), the new plan would see the United States, Canada, members of the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, and Switzerland form an international coalition against copyright infringement.
What's making groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation especially nervous is the veil of secrecy around the negotiations. In fact, it took some well-placed leaks and a Freedom of Information Act request to find out the most basic details of the plan. (Anything to do with regulation by the EU makes me nervous as well. Remember the crackdown on ugly vegetables?)
Battle over legal costs could derail B.C. polygamy case
By Daphne Bramham, via the Vancouver Sun:
Read the rest here.
Winston Blackmore and James Oler -- the two B.C. men charged with a single count each of practising polygamy -- both pleaded not guilty and elected trial by judge and jury.
Both men are fundamentalist Mormon leaders from Bountiful who believe that a man needs multiple wives to enter the highest realm of heaven.
Their beliefs diverged from the mainstream Mormon church in 1890 when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints renounced the practice of polygamy.
The next stage is a preliminary inquiry in Cranbrook. A date has yet to be set, but special prosecutor Terry Robertson expects it will be in late fall and could take up to 20 days.
However, the whole process could still be derailed by Blackmore's unusual application to the B.C. Supreme Court that will be heard June 29 and 30.
Justice Sunni Stromberg-Stein has been asked to either: stay the criminal charge because of what Blackmore's lawyer Joe Arvay says has been an abuse of process; or stay the charge unless the provincial government agrees to pay the legal costs for Blackmore's team of lawyers at the same rate that Robertson and his team are being paid.
For the first part, Arvay will argue that Attorney-General Wally Oppal interfered because he went against the recommendations of his ministry staff, legal opinions given by two retired and respected judges more than a decade ago, and more recent opinions given by two special prosecutors.
Read the rest here.
There's no business like gros business
By Robert Matas, via the Globe and Mail:
Sam Mellace has possibly the most sophisticated marijuana growing operation in British Columbia.Read the rest here.
An outspoken advocate for medicinal marijuana, the former Ontario resident with a criminal record is running an industrial-style production line yielding around seven kilograms of marijuana every four to six weeks. His custom-designed building with around 250 plants in various stages of growth has been set up as a prototype to illustrate what could be done. This is the future, Mr. Mellace says.
Mr. Mellace has a plan for his company, New Age Medical Solutions Inc., to become Canada's first national private-sector provider of medicinal marijuana.
Growers in Ontario, B.C. Manitoba and elsewhere currently provide marijuana directly to medical users, many affiliated with non-profit compassion clubs.
But Mr. Mellace, 55, has a bigger dream.
Today's Mark Madness
Links Steynian:
Freedom Through Truth
Ed Driscoll
Dr. Roy's Thoughts
Five Feet of Fury
Infidels Paradise
The Bipartisan Report
The Peace Freedom & Prosperity Movement
Tai-Chi Policy
Kathy Shaidle
Content Steynian:
In NRO's The Corner:
24-hour lift-and-separate biological clock
The taxman takes two-thirds of your virginity
You Can't Get out of Dodge, but Dodge Can Get out of You
What's So Wrong with Obama Motors?
When Barry Met Bibi
A Long-Shot Appeal
The Stable Door
Mark's request of the week: Vacationing In Someone Else's Despair
In the OC Register and the National Review: What Are We Stimulating?
On stage and screen: A Land Fit For Superheroes
On Brass Balls Radio: Brass Balls Radio - Show 50
On America: Tortured Explanations
On the Hugh Hewitt show: Mark Steyn's analysis of a tale of two speeches today
Mark's song of the week: Everything's Coming Up Roses
In Macleans: Monday, the President ate a burger
In Mark's blog:
Close enough
Shakedown on Sussex Drive
In the OC Register: Pelosi's tortured press performance
Plus, more links Steynian, Levantian, and Freespeechian over at Free Canuckistan.
Freedom Through Truth
Ed Driscoll
Dr. Roy's Thoughts
Five Feet of Fury
Infidels Paradise
The Bipartisan Report
The Peace Freedom & Prosperity Movement
Tai-Chi Policy
Kathy Shaidle
Content Steynian:
In NRO's The Corner:
24-hour lift-and-separate biological clock
The taxman takes two-thirds of your virginity
You Can't Get out of Dodge, but Dodge Can Get out of You
What's So Wrong with Obama Motors?
When Barry Met Bibi
A Long-Shot Appeal
The Stable Door
Mark's request of the week: Vacationing In Someone Else's Despair
In the OC Register and the National Review: What Are We Stimulating?
On stage and screen: A Land Fit For Superheroes
On Brass Balls Radio: Brass Balls Radio - Show 50
On America: Tortured Explanations
On the Hugh Hewitt show: Mark Steyn's analysis of a tale of two speeches today
Mark's song of the week: Everything's Coming Up Roses
In Macleans: Monday, the President ate a burger
In Mark's blog:
Close enough
Shakedown on Sussex Drive
In the OC Register: Pelosi's tortured press performance
Plus, more links Steynian, Levantian, and Freespeechian over at Free Canuckistan.
Today's Levant Jaunt
Links Levantian:
Freedom Through Truth
Russ Campbell
The Shotgun Blog
Dancing, laughter & good red wine
The International Free Press Society
Book Levantian:
Cornucopia of Books: Shakedown, Ezra Levant
Speaking Levantian:
The Nanaimo Daily News: Free speech being trampled: Levant
Blog Levantian - Ezra's latest:
Vancouver Island and 24 Sussex Drive
Fox News Channel's Red Eye
Tim Hudak proposes to abolish Ontario HRCs
Human rights commissions on the defensive
So what did the RCMP think of John Beattie's "Nazis"?
Beware the Nazi menace! Better brush up on your German!
Freedom Through Truth
Russ Campbell
The Shotgun Blog
Dancing, laughter & good red wine
The International Free Press Society
Book Levantian:
Cornucopia of Books: Shakedown, Ezra Levant
Speaking Levantian:
The Nanaimo Daily News: Free speech being trampled: Levant
Blog Levantian - Ezra's latest:
Vancouver Island and 24 Sussex Drive
Fox News Channel's Red Eye
Tim Hudak proposes to abolish Ontario HRCs
Human rights commissions on the defensive
So what did the RCMP think of John Beattie's "Nazis"?
Beware the Nazi menace! Better brush up on your German!
Human rights tribunal rules smoking casual joint is not disability
By David Karp, via the Vancouver Sun:
A sawmill manager fired for allegedly smoking pot on the job and offering a joint to a co-worker had his human rights complaint tossed out on May 14.Read it here. H/t to Blazing Cat Fur.
David Geldreich, a manager at the Whisper Creek lumber yard in Houston, B.C., filed a complaint with the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal after he was fired in April 2008.
Geldreich argued that Whisper Creek had discriminated against him because of a mental disability when it decided to fire him.
"If [Whisper Creek] fired me because of smoking drugs, [it] was obligated to accommodate me and to offer assistance as a disability…this was never offered," Geldreich wrote in his submission to the tribunal.
However, tribunal chair Heather MacNaughton ruled that casual drug use is not a disability.
"Mr. Geldreich is wrong about Whisper Creek's obligation to accommodate him or offer assistance as a disability," she wrote. "Its obligation to do so is not triggered by casual drug use against company policy. It is triggered when an employee is suffering from an addiction which requires accommodation or treatment."
The quote of the day
Today's quote is from Paul Wells, namely: his four rules of politics:
So there you have it.
1: For any given situation, Canadian politics will tend toward the least exciting possible outcome.
2: If everyone in Ottawa knows something, it’s not true.
3. The candidate in the best mood wins.
4. The guy who auditions for the role of opposition leader will get the job.
Friday, 22 May, 2009
Ezra Levant on my very own island.
Or to steal Mark Steyn's running gag: hatemonger on the town - of Nanaimo, that is. I was fortunate enough to be able to attend ( although it was more spending the dough on a ticket than luck that actually enabled me to attend ) Ezra Levant's last speaking engagement in Canada for his Shakedown book tour. Ezra was stereotypically himself, which was of course what everyone was there for to begin with, and after a very tasty buffet lunch, he started off with a brief history of the Danish Mohamed cartoons controversy followed by the decision of the Western Standard to run the cartoons, succinctly ran through his nine-hundred day ordeal and that of pastor Stephen Boissoin, and wrapped it all up with a strong finish in his inimitable style. There was time for a few questions afterward, a very brief book-signing, and then Ezra had to - almost literally - run for the airport.
So all in all, it went pretty well, and certainly in accordance with accounts of previous tour engagements, although I was slightly disappointed that there was no mention throughout his speech or in the Q&A afterward of either Richard Warman or Warren Kinsella - seriously, what's up with that?
I was also somewhat pleasantly surprised to find that Ezra actually recognized my name from some of my writings on Human Rights Commissions and suchlike. So that's kind of cool. I wish I had been able to get some pictures, but my camera is on loan to a friend of mine, so I was unable to.
Updates may follow.
So all in all, it went pretty well, and certainly in accordance with accounts of previous tour engagements, although I was slightly disappointed that there was no mention throughout his speech or in the Q&A afterward of either Richard Warman or Warren Kinsella - seriously, what's up with that?
I was also somewhat pleasantly surprised to find that Ezra actually recognized my name from some of my writings on Human Rights Commissions and suchlike. So that's kind of cool. I wish I had been able to get some pictures, but my camera is on loan to a friend of mine, so I was unable to.
Updates may follow.
US journalist freed in Iran heads home
Via the Associated Press:
VIENNA (AP) — An official says an American journalist who spent four months in an Iranian prison is on her way to the United States.Read the rest here.
Robert Hugins, public affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy in Austria, says Roxana Saberi left Vienna Friday morning on a flight bound for Washington, D.C.
The 32-year-old journalist, who moved to Iran six years ago, was arrested in late January and convicted of spying in a closed-door trial that her Iranian-born father said lasted only 15 minutes.
She was freed on May 11 and spent a week in Austria recuperating.
Hugins said Roxana is traveling with her parents and a family friend.
The Fine Art Of Stepping In Cowpatties
By Maurice Tougas, via SEE Magazine:
Sometimes I despair the stranglehold the Progressive Conservatives have on Alberta will never loosen.Read the rest here.
Some 38 years after Peter Lougheed ushered in a new era in Alberta politics, the Tories, under the feckless leadership of Ed Stelmach, seem immovable. With just 11 opposition MLAs facing off against an inert block of 72 Tories, all Stelmach has to do is avoid stepping in political cowpies and he should cruise to another victory two or three years hence.
Incredibly, not only is Stelmach stepping in cowpies, he’s actively putting them in his own path then jumping into them with both feet. Let’s examine the recent activities of your government-in-perpetuity, starting with Bill 44.
The Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Amendment Act is causing no end of trouble for the government, and the injury is self-inflicted. The amendment enshrines “parental rights” in Alberta’s Human Rights Act, which means parents have the right to remove their precious little ones from class if a discussion arises
Supreme Court refuses detainee appeal
By Paul Koring, via the Globe and Mail:
The Supreme Court today refused to consider an appeal from rights groups seeking constitutional protection for Afghan detainees held by Canadian troops who may be transferred to torture.Read the rest here.
“Canadians, I think, will be surprised to learn that Canada has a lower standard of human rights protections than the United States for foreign detainees,” said Paul Champ, the lawyer acting for Amnesty International and the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association.
The decision effectively ends the legal effort to protect prisoners captured on foreign battlefields under the Canadian charter of rights. The rights groups had attempted to argue that the constitution marches with Canadian Forces abroad and it – not just international law like the Geneva Convention – affords protection to those captured by Canadian soldiers.
Today's Mark Madness
Links Steynian:
Instapunk
The Nexus of Assholery
The Globe and Mail
From Our Inbox ( Miami Herald blog )
Five Feet of Fury
Road to the Middle Class
Searching for Liberty
The Other McCain
Content Steynian:
In NRO's The Corner:
You Can't Get out of Dodge, but Dodge Can Get out of You
What's So Wrong with Obama Motors?
When Barry Met Bibi
The Stable Door
A Long-Shot Appeal
Mark's song of the week: Everything's Coming Up Roses
On the Hugh Hewitt show: Mark Steyn's analysis of a tale of two speeches today
On America: Conservative Talk Radio in the Dock
In Macleans: Monday, the President ate a burger
On stage and screen: A Land Fit For Superheroes
On Brass Balls Radio: Brass Balls Radio - Show 50
Mark's request of the week: Vacationing in Someone Else's Despair
In the OC Register: Pelosi's tortured press performance
In Mark's blog: One singular sensation
On the Hugh Hewitt show: Mark Steyn: Nancy Pelosi is to Dick Cheney as Barack Obama is to Carrie Prejean
Plus more links Steynian, Levantian, and Freespeechian over at Free Canuckistan.
Instapunk
The Nexus of Assholery
The Globe and Mail
From Our Inbox ( Miami Herald blog )
Five Feet of Fury
Road to the Middle Class
Searching for Liberty
The Other McCain
Content Steynian:
In NRO's The Corner:
You Can't Get out of Dodge, but Dodge Can Get out of You
What's So Wrong with Obama Motors?
When Barry Met Bibi
The Stable Door
A Long-Shot Appeal
Mark's song of the week: Everything's Coming Up Roses
On the Hugh Hewitt show: Mark Steyn's analysis of a tale of two speeches today
On America: Conservative Talk Radio in the Dock
In Macleans: Monday, the President ate a burger
On stage and screen: A Land Fit For Superheroes
On Brass Balls Radio: Brass Balls Radio - Show 50
Mark's request of the week: Vacationing in Someone Else's Despair
In the OC Register: Pelosi's tortured press performance
In Mark's blog: One singular sensation
On the Hugh Hewitt show: Mark Steyn: Nancy Pelosi is to Dick Cheney as Barack Obama is to Carrie Prejean
Plus more links Steynian, Levantian, and Freespeechian over at Free Canuckistan.
Today's Levant Jaunt
Links Levantian:
Five Feet of Fury
Jay Currie
The Nexus of Assholery
Capital Of Canada Blogs
The Globe and Mail
Searching for Liberty
Book Levantian:
Persecuted Church Weblog: This week’s recommended resources from The Voice of the Martyrs
Speaking Levantian:
No Apologies: Alberta is the Censorship Capital of Canada; The HRC Fight Moves to Ontario
Blog Levantian - Ezra's latest:
Fox News Channel's Red Eye
Tim Hudak proposes to abolish Ontario HRCs
Human rights commissions on the defensive
So what did the RCMP think of John Beattie's "Nazis"?
Beware the Nazi menace! Better brush up on your German!
Five Feet of Fury
Jay Currie
The Nexus of Assholery
Capital Of Canada Blogs
The Globe and Mail
Searching for Liberty
Book Levantian:
Persecuted Church Weblog: This week’s recommended resources from The Voice of the Martyrs
Speaking Levantian:
No Apologies: Alberta is the Censorship Capital of Canada; The HRC Fight Moves to Ontario
Blog Levantian - Ezra's latest:
Fox News Channel's Red Eye
Tim Hudak proposes to abolish Ontario HRCs
Human rights commissions on the defensive
So what did the RCMP think of John Beattie's "Nazis"?
Beware the Nazi menace! Better brush up on your German!
Thursday, 21 May, 2009
Today's Round-up
First off, in BC politics, Carole James will lead the NDP in the 2013 election, despite their previous campaign lacking vision, Campbell's cabinet, let's blame the media, pay raises, and where was 'A' channel?
And in federal politics, Stephen Harper is up for a 'Code of Silence' award from the Canadian Association of Journalists, Ruby Dhalla faces new allegations, and does the federal system favor the rich?
Plus, Marc Emery's business licenses are still on hold, 'citizen snoopers', libel tourism and the risk of getting sued for blogging, names and potential racism, and are men on the path to extinction?
And in federal politics, Stephen Harper is up for a 'Code of Silence' award from the Canadian Association of Journalists, Ruby Dhalla faces new allegations, and does the federal system favor the rich?
Plus, Marc Emery's business licenses are still on hold, 'citizen snoopers', libel tourism and the risk of getting sued for blogging, names and potential racism, and are men on the path to extinction?
It's a sad day when to speak your mind is to risk the wrath of the law and misleading reports
By Kevin Myers, via the Irish Independent:
What follows is even more boring than usual, but my good name is my good name, and the record has to be set straight.Read the rest here.
Last July, I wrote a column which I knew would get me into trouble. It was headlined, 'Africa has given the world nothing but AIDS'. (I did not write the headline). My overall gist was that the populations of African countries had more than doubled in the past quarter of a century. Aid has corrupted the continent. It is time to stop. Our liberal establishment has created a layer of speech-and-thought enforcement bodies to limit the range of public dialogue. Some now moved into action. The National Migrant Council reported me to An Garda Siochana, demanding a criminal prosecution for incitement to hatred, with a no-jury court, and four years imprisonment the possible outcome. Hans Zomer of Dochas reported me to the National Press Council, on numerous grounds.
It is a sad day indeed when to speak your mind is to risk the wrath of the law, aided by the State-backed auxiliary bodies of intellectual conformism: but such are the times we live in.
Needless to say, these threats to freedom of speech were not condemned by the National Union of Journalists, or the writers' union PEN, or our Nobel Laureate, and proud defender of the intellectual freedom of writers, elsewhere anyway, Seamus Heaney. Possibly because the name 'Kevin Myers' was involved.
The Garda investigation fell apart amid a great deal of embarrassment from the unfortunate investigating officers, who were thereby distracted from other, more important duties.
But Zomer's complaints went to the full Press Council. He alleged that my article had violated various principles of the Council Charter - namely, Accuracy, Fairness and Honesty, Respect for Rights and finally, Incitement to Hatred.
These complaints were mostly frivolous. The only important one that mattered to me was the last: Incitement to Hatred. This is a very serious matter, for hatred is a poison that knows no bounds. Had I been found guilty of intending to incite hatred, my status as a journalist would have been seriously, and probably fatally, damaged. (Not that my personal ruin would have mattered much to our liberal-left friends).
Now, though I fully accept the good intentions of the individual members of the Press Council, I regard its brief as preposterous and its terms fatuous. Included in its general category of "hatred" is the charge of "causing offence". Well, if journalists don't regularly cause someone or other offence, then we're not doing our job. Moreover, I knew that I was going to offend some of our thinner-skinned Africans, who no doubt would maintain that Somalia is Sweden, and Zimbabwe is Switzerland. Which is, of course, the reason they're living here.
Wednesday, 20 May, 2009
What I'm reading: Scratch Beginnings
As part of a recurring segment, I'm talking a little bit about the latest books which I've finished reading. Well, the latest has been Scratch Beginnings, by Adam Shepard.
First, a brief synopsis from the back cover:
Is the American Dream still alive, or has it, in fact, been drowned out by a clashing of the classes? Is the upper class destined to rule forever while the lower classes are forced to live in the same cyclical misery?With these questions in mind, Adam Shepard hopped on a train destined for Charleston, South Carolina. Carrying only a sleeping bag, the clothes on his back, and 25$ cash, he set out with the goal of working his way out of the realities of homelessness and into a life that would offer him the opportunity for success. Living among the poverty stricken for a year, Shepard gained intriguing insight into the present state of the American Dream.
Scratch Beginnings is Shepard's response to the now-famous books Nickel and Dimed and Bait and Switch, where Barbara Ehrenreich has written on the hopeless pursuit of the American Dream. This book offers his observations of what it is like for so many people on the lower end of the spectrum, the crappy end of the stick. In this poignant account, Shepard goes on a search for the vitality of the American Dream, and in turn, discovers so much more.
Scratch Beginnings is unquestionably one of the most engaging works of the social science genre. No matter your reading interest, Shepard's facile writing style is sure to keep you turning the pages.
I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to read, and Shepard's style of writing did indeed keep me turning the pages. His descriptions of living in a homeless shelter, trying to find a job, and of working for a moving company were engaging. Particularly the latter-most for me; I almost wanted to work as a mover for a little while after reading this book.
I read the intro's scant pages one day, and then later spent a good portion of an afternoon reading the rest of this book - even though I hadn't meant to read for so long. I don't know if I quite expected it to be so easy to get through - the content isn't too heavy, even though it is interesting. And Adam Shepard, even though he's a new-comer to the field, is a very good writer. Indeed, my only real criticism would be that he tends to revert to monologue a little too often; about staying optimistic, working, and occasional observations about the human soul or whatever. The effect of these monologues might have been magnified by my reading most of the book in one go, but I still found them a little bit distracting. Does that mean that the book itself is bad? No. It's a good book. You should read it.
And while, yes, it could be pointed out that Adam Shepard is a young white male ( and not a middle-aged single mother ), I still think that he makes a very good point about the 'condition' of homelessness. For some, of course, mental illness, disability, or straight bad luck has led to their being without a home, but there are far too many for whom the main problem is simply a lack of work ethic or other problem of attitude and stamina; people who all too often are fatalistic about the way in which they live. Yes, of course, some cannot help being where they are, but there are some who can ( who, quite frankly, muddy the waters for everybody else ), and I think that Scratch Beginnings, if not written directly for these people, puts paid to that very fatalism. The American Dream is still alive and well, and hopeless entitleism and reverse class warfare ( the nasty upper class is holding down the poor lower class ) are not some new grim Dickensian reality for the American people. The book's message isn't for everybody, but for those to whom it may be applied, I think the message is poignant and to-the-point; namely: what you're hoping for might just be possible if you work for it.
Christine Elliot: let's not disturb the status quo
Christine Elliot seems to be for the preservation of the Ontario Human Rights Commission more for the sake of preserving the status quo and coming into political power than for any actual idealogical reason.
I'm not sure that's a good enough reason anymore.
Via CTV:
[UPDATE: More on this at Russ Campbell's blog, and the Nexus of Assholery. ]
I'm not sure that's a good enough reason anymore.
Via CTV:
Read the rest here.Rivals Tim Hudak and Randy Hillier both say they'd abolish the human rights body and have discrimination cases heard in courts.
They argue the Ontario Human Rights Commission -- established in 1961 by a Tory government -- and the Human Rights Tribunal are trampling on individual rights and wasting taxpayer dollars on "nuisance" claims.
It's become a hot-button issue in the race, which will soon see all four candidates face off in a series of debates across the province.
There are problems that need to be fixed, but abolishing the tribunal would "throw the baby out with the bath water," Elliott said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
The ruling Liberals would rejoice if the party adopted the proposal, which could tank as badly with voters as former leader John Tory's doomed promise to extend funding to faith-based schools in the 2007 election campaign, she said.
"If we are very serious about winning the next election, I think we need to take a look at this policy and how that will be perceived by the people of the province of Ontario," Elliott said.
"I think there's nobody that would like to see us get rid of the human rights commission and tribunal than (Premier) Dalton McGuinty, because I think this particular issue has the potential to be the faith-based issue that 2007 was."[...]
The proposal may win votes in the leadership race, but it could cost the Tories dearly in a provincial election, said Henry Jacek, a politics professor at Hamilton's McMaster University.
The Tories need to win Toronto-area suburban ridings to defeat the Liberals, but could end up alienating new immigrants who live in those areas and feel the tribunal is protecting them from discrimination, he said.
"If I were an adviser, I wouldn't advise a Conservative candidate to essentially make this a big issue in the general election campaign, because I think it will probably hurt them in ridings that they need to win," he said.
Elliott echoed that sentiment, adding that the party must "be careful" with the idea of scrapping the tribunal, which is still needed in Ontario.
Most victims of discrimination can't afford the high cost of taking their complaints to court, said the 53-year-old Whitby lawyer.
"Certainly there is a need to make some changes, because I think that the commission has gotten away from its original mandate, which is to protect people from legitimate cases of discrimination," Elliott said.
[UPDATE: More on this at Russ Campbell's blog, and the Nexus of Assholery. ]
Today's Levant Jaunt
Links Levantian:
Money Magnet
The International Free Press Society
The National Post's Full Comment
Blazing Cat Fur
Russ Campbell
The Galloping Beaver
Blog Levantian - Ezra's latest:
Fox News Channel's Red Eye
Tim Hudak proposes to abolish Ontario HRCs
Human rights commissions on the defensive
So what did the RCMP think of John Beattie's "Nazis"?
Beware the Nazi menace! Better brush up on your German!
Money Magnet
The International Free Press Society
The National Post's Full Comment
Blazing Cat Fur
Russ Campbell
The Galloping Beaver
Blog Levantian - Ezra's latest:
Fox News Channel's Red Eye
Tim Hudak proposes to abolish Ontario HRCs
Human rights commissions on the defensive
So what did the RCMP think of John Beattie's "Nazis"?
Beware the Nazi menace! Better brush up on your German!
Today's Mark Madness
Links Steynian:
The Philadelphia Bulletin
Deborah Gyapong
Down Is Up
Five Feet of Fury
Dawg's Blawg
Political Truth and Fact
Business Oportuinity Buzz and News
Girl on the Right, with more here.
Small Dead Animals
Blazing Cat Fur, with more here.
The Globe and Mail
The Shotgun Blog
Post-Darwinist
The Galloping Beaver
Britannia Radio
Pundit and Pundette
The Conservative Wahoo
Canada Free Press
Scaramouche
Closet Conservative
Safflemannen
Content Steynian:
In NRO's The Corner:
A Long-Shot Appeal
Over and Out
Cockles and Muzzles
When Barry Met Bibi
The Stable Door
Seasons Steynian: Happy Victoria Day!
In Macleans: Superheroes are starting to bug me
Mark's song of the week: Everything's Coming Up Roses
On the Hugh Hewitt show: Mark Steyn: Nancy Pelosi is to Dick Cheney as Barack Obama is to Carrie Prejean
Guest-hosting for Brass Balls Radio: Brass Balls Radio - Show 50
On America: Conservative Talk Radio in the Dock
In the OC Register: Pelosi's Tortured Performance
Mark's request of the week: Fab Gear
In Mark's blog: One singular sensation
The Philadelphia Bulletin
Deborah Gyapong
Down Is Up
Five Feet of Fury
Dawg's Blawg
Political Truth and Fact
Business Oportuinity Buzz and News
Girl on the Right, with more here.
Small Dead Animals
Blazing Cat Fur, with more here.
The Globe and Mail
The Shotgun Blog
Post-Darwinist
The Galloping Beaver
Britannia Radio
Pundit and Pundette
The Conservative Wahoo
Canada Free Press
Scaramouche
Closet Conservative
Safflemannen
Content Steynian:
In NRO's The Corner:
A Long-Shot Appeal
Over and Out
Cockles and Muzzles
When Barry Met Bibi
The Stable Door
Seasons Steynian: Happy Victoria Day!
In Macleans: Superheroes are starting to bug me
Mark's song of the week: Everything's Coming Up Roses
On the Hugh Hewitt show: Mark Steyn: Nancy Pelosi is to Dick Cheney as Barack Obama is to Carrie Prejean
Guest-hosting for Brass Balls Radio: Brass Balls Radio - Show 50
On America: Conservative Talk Radio in the Dock
In the OC Register: Pelosi's Tortured Performance
Mark's request of the week: Fab Gear
In Mark's blog: One singular sensation
Tuesday, 19 May, 2009
Today's Levant Jaunt
Links Levantian:
Dawg's Blawg
The Activity Pit
Business Oportuinity Buzz and News
The Shotgun Blog
Girl on the Right
Blazing Cat Fur, with more here.
The Globe and Mail
Post-Darwinist
Blog Levantian - Ezra's latest:
Fox News Channel's Red Eye
Tim Hudak proposes to abolish Ontario HRCs
Human rights commissions on the defensive
So what did the RCMP think of John Beattie's "Nazis"?
Beware the Nazi menace! Better brush up on your German!
Dawg's Blawg
The Activity Pit
Business Oportuinity Buzz and News
The Shotgun Blog
Girl on the Right
Blazing Cat Fur, with more here.
The Globe and Mail
Post-Darwinist
Blog Levantian - Ezra's latest:
Fox News Channel's Red Eye
Tim Hudak proposes to abolish Ontario HRCs
Human rights commissions on the defensive
So what did the RCMP think of John Beattie's "Nazis"?
Beware the Nazi menace! Better brush up on your German!
This is a human rights case?
I found this rather interesting:
Marital status is a changing, shifting status. It's one that can change over time, and rather abruptly. It's not like race, or sex in that it's an unchanging circumstance of birth. And it's not like race or sex in that it's a choice to enter into, and quite possibly, to exit from as well.
So tell me, how is it possible to discriminate against somebody for their marital status? I mean, I know you can treat somebody like crap for the slightest thing - like wearing glasses or having toilet paper stuck to your shoe. But that's just it - it doesn't take much to give people amunition to treat you badly. That's life. Life is unfair. And marital status isn't enough to launch a 'human rights' complaint.
A Hay River woman has won a case before the NWT Human Rights Commission, successfully arguing she was discriminated against because of her marital status.
Marital status is a changing, shifting status. It's one that can change over time, and rather abruptly. It's not like race, or sex in that it's an unchanging circumstance of birth. And it's not like race or sex in that it's a choice to enter into, and quite possibly, to exit from as well.
So tell me, how is it possible to discriminate against somebody for their marital status? I mean, I know you can treat somebody like crap for the slightest thing - like wearing glasses or having toilet paper stuck to your shoe. But that's just it - it doesn't take much to give people amunition to treat you badly. That's life. Life is unfair. And marital status isn't enough to launch a 'human rights' complaint.
A rather strange quote
Here's a rather strange line, courtesy of the Globe and Mail:
That was gay activist Delwin Vriend, on Bill 44, which, among other things, grants parents the 'right' to pull their children out of school classes whose content they disagree with - loosely described.
What a rather odd thing for Mr. Vriend to say. So it's 'backwards' for parents to be able to have a say in their childrens' education? I personally think that it's a bit silly to pull your kids out of classrooms just because you don't want them to hear of the horrid dangers of condoms and evolution and suchlike ( or whatever ) - in fact, I think it's quite potentially damaging to your child's education. What does it hurt them to be exposed to new ideas and concepts?
But in the end, until the child is no longer a child, then it is the parent's ultimate responsibility as to how they recieve their education. Is it backward for people to exercise their own responsibility?
But then again, Mr. Vriend was a teacher at a Christian college who came out of the closet, and then went to a human rights commission when he was fired because of it - instead of reacting like a normal person and accepting the consequences of his words and actions. Perhaps adult responsibilities are somewhat beyond him.
"It could have shown that Alberta is part of the modern world, that Alberta isn't the far south of the U.S. Unfortunately when we start to talk about being able to pull kids out of class for various reasons, including talk about gays and lesbians or evolution, that definitely points to a very backwards people," he said from Paris, where he now lives and works as a software engineer.
"That is so extremely damaging. It's abhorrent. It's unconscionable," he said.
That was gay activist Delwin Vriend, on Bill 44, which, among other things, grants parents the 'right' to pull their children out of school classes whose content they disagree with - loosely described.
What a rather odd thing for Mr. Vriend to say. So it's 'backwards' for parents to be able to have a say in their childrens' education? I personally think that it's a bit silly to pull your kids out of classrooms just because you don't want them to hear of the horrid dangers of condoms and evolution and suchlike ( or whatever ) - in fact, I think it's quite potentially damaging to your child's education. What does it hurt them to be exposed to new ideas and concepts?
But in the end, until the child is no longer a child, then it is the parent's ultimate responsibility as to how they recieve their education. Is it backward for people to exercise their own responsibility?
But then again, Mr. Vriend was a teacher at a Christian college who came out of the closet, and then went to a human rights commission when he was fired because of it - instead of reacting like a normal person and accepting the consequences of his words and actions. Perhaps adult responsibilities are somewhat beyond him.
Anti-abortion group's ad was too political to run - city
By Heather McLaughlin, via the Daily Gleaner:
Read the rest here.
I think I've already talked a little bit about advertising 'rights' here, if you're at all interested. Needless to say, I don't believe that we have a right to be advertised in a limited advertising slot - in fact, that's a patently ridiculous 'right'. It undermines the entire idea of limited ad-space.
If this is anything, it's a fairness issue - have pro-abortion ads been allowed to run? Have other political ads been allowed to run? If so, then I can't help but feel that public impartiality is not being enforced. But is this a freedom of speech issue?
No.
City council has taken an official stance on a Fredericton Right to Life application for transit advertising that was refused last fall.
The city's transit manager Sandy MacNeill refused to sell advertising space to the Fredericton chapter of the national anti-abortion organization, saying it constituted political commentary.
The group appealed to city council, but as of February it still didn't have a response.
The group's answer finally came Monday night, when a four-paragraph report from a council-in-committee meeting was approved.
"City council concurred with a staff decision to refuse the paid advertising on the basis that it is political in nature," states the document.
"We continue to believe that the ad was educational in nature, rather than political," said Peter Ryan, executive director of the local Right to Life organization. "We've stated our case about that and I guess they have deemed otherwise."
Ryan said the group still has a complaint on file with the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission and is awaiting its response.
If the city considers it a political ad, "then that is unjustified under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms as freedom of expression," Ryan said.
Read the rest here.
I think I've already talked a little bit about advertising 'rights' here, if you're at all interested. Needless to say, I don't believe that we have a right to be advertised in a limited advertising slot - in fact, that's a patently ridiculous 'right'. It undermines the entire idea of limited ad-space.
If this is anything, it's a fairness issue - have pro-abortion ads been allowed to run? Have other political ads been allowed to run? If so, then I can't help but feel that public impartiality is not being enforced. But is this a freedom of speech issue?
No.
Siksay tables trans bill for a third time
By Dale Smith, via Xtra:
NDP MP Bill Siksay hopes that third time's the charm.On May 15, Siksay tabled his private members' bill titled An Act to Amend the Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code (Gender Identity and Gender Expression) in the House of Commons.Siksay says the bill will "add protection for members of the transsexual and transgendered communities to the Canadian Human Rights Act, by adding gender identity and gender expression as prohibited grounds for discrimination in the Act. The bill also adds gender identity and gender expression into the Criminal Code so that it can be taken into consideration at the time of sentencing for hate crimes."This is the third time he's tabled this bill, which previously died on the order paper when Parliament was prorogued or dissolved for an election. But in this Parliament, he's 65th in line for private members' business, which means that if Parliament survives until autumn, the bill should come up for debate in the House.Read the rest here.
Today's Round-up
First off, Popehat on the Canadian Human Rights Commission and 'social condition'.
In federal politics, what are the top ten unconservative Conservative Party actions ( or non-actions, as the case may be )? A bit more on Mulroney ( alright, a lot more, here, here, here, here, and liveblogging here ), and put a sock in it Ms. May.
In BC political news, let's blame the media again, Marc Emery faces some unresolved licensing problems, Justice Elizabeth Bennet will be leaving the Basi/Virk/BC Legislature raid case, close ridings and the rise of the independents, singin' the same tune, the NDP strategy, and interesting relations.
Plus, the Dawg barks back, libel lawfare, a good introduction to interviewing, minimum ticket quotas, Maureen Dowd's shameful antics, and have you noticed anything strange about the activism game these days?
In federal politics, what are the top ten unconservative Conservative Party actions ( or non-actions, as the case may be )? A bit more on Mulroney ( alright, a lot more, here, here, here, here, and liveblogging here ), and put a sock in it Ms. May.
In BC political news, let's blame the media again, Marc Emery faces some unresolved licensing problems, Justice Elizabeth Bennet will be leaving the Basi/Virk/BC Legislature raid case, close ridings and the rise of the independents, singin' the same tune, the NDP strategy, and interesting relations.
Plus, the Dawg barks back, libel lawfare, a good introduction to interviewing, minimum ticket quotas, Maureen Dowd's shameful antics, and have you noticed anything strange about the activism game these days?
Monday, 18 May, 2009
On Carrie Prejean and skin-deep realism
I've talked a little before about Carrie Prejean, the Miss California who didn't quite make it to Miss USA - undoubtedly because of the simple fact of her honesty when asked on her views of same-sex marriage.
There have been other obstacles since then. Carrie has had a couple of scandals recently: a boob job scandal, and a nude picture scandal. But she's been able to keep her crown, which, I think, shows that even though people can make mistakes, they're not going to be punished for the rest of their life because of it.
Others are not so lenient. I found this article particularly, well, annoying really. Let's go through it piece by piece, shall we?
Yes, of course, the whole 'plastic' industry is a rather heartless, superficial thing to behold. But so what? There are plenty of things on this earth that are heartless and superficial. That doesn't mean that someone should be put down for caving in to those things, or being a part of those things - necessarily. Yeah, sure, there are 'operating rooms busy stuffing plastic into people', and Carrie Prejean apparently was one of those people, but I fail to see how that disqualifies her from being able to enter a simple beauty contest. Indeed, if being plasticized makes one no more desirable ( as some might say ), then what's the problem?
While I may not be a biblical scholar, I don't remember reading any particular passage in Sunday school that 'Thou shalt not inject silicone into thine breasts'. But maybe that's in the Old King James version, or something. And the fact that she's got 'gazillions' of fans is more a matter of the people becoming fans than the person they're fans of, wouldn't you say?
Is Carrie Prejean opposed to gay marriage? Well, yes. But then again, the whole 'same-sex blessing' debate has been wracking the Anglican Church of Canada for nigh thirty years, the fundamentalist Muslims have been in the habit of crushing gays with specially-built walls in certain backwater countries, and let's not even talk about those dastardly Catholics. Not to mention that America, arguably the freest country on the planet, has yet to reach a legal opinion on gay marriage - which was what undoubtedly happened to prompt miss Prejean's unfortunate question. Yes, society sure has reached a decision on the gay marriage debate. It's a shame that Carrie Prejean just couldn't get with the times - after all, a majority of religious institutions and a lot of political institutions already haven't.
Is Carrie Prejean hot? Umm...yes. Although one can't help but get the feeling that to say yes or to say no would both be damning statements.
Beauty isn't eternal, but while it's there, and if you've got it, flaunt it. What? You think the brainiacs and the sports whizzes hold themselves back because they make the others feel bad? And you think that those same athletes and mathletes won't do whatever they can to improve their 'game'? Does using 'help', be it plastic or injectable ( or preferably both ), constitute an 'unfairness'? Perhaps. But so what? Life isn't fair, and those same people who pump themselves up now are in for a world of hurt and suffering later on down the road - at which point, you'll be feeling a lot better about yourself upon observing their misery. As it turns out, beauty doesn't last forever, but neither does unfairness. It all evens out in the end.
And as far as Carrie Prejean goes, if she's done something that she's going to suffer for later, then she's done it. And those are her consequences. But as far as we're concerned, she's a pretty face who's made some mistakes, who holds a conservative outlook on the contentious issue of gay marriage rights. So tell me - which is worse? Carrie Prejean? Or the people who, while on the one hand portraying the 'ordinary' and 'flawed' person as being preferable to the plasticized ones, are acting as shallow people themselves who see only the plastic and the flesh? There's more than plastic and gay marriage to Carrie Prejean, just as there is more than meets the eye to every person. What's the bloody point of judging somebody based on those two, skin-deep qualities, other than to prove yourself incapable of seeing the larger picture yourself?
There have been other obstacles since then. Carrie has had a couple of scandals recently: a boob job scandal, and a nude picture scandal. But she's been able to keep her crown, which, I think, shows that even though people can make mistakes, they're not going to be punished for the rest of their life because of it.
Others are not so lenient. I found this article particularly, well, annoying really. Let's go through it piece by piece, shall we?
It turns out, plastic isn't just an eco-problem.Ok...so it's a bit strange that the author's hopes of ridding the world of all that is hypocritical and homophobic rested upon the movers, shakers, and contestants ( who are often movers and shakers themselves, in more than one sense of the word ), of the beauty pageant business. Here I was thinking that it took decades of protesting and civil rights breakthroughs to get so far as we have, but apparently the focal point of societal change is the Miss California pageant.
Yesterday, MSNBC and other networks cut away from regular programming to air the announcement that Miss California Carrie Prejean can keep her crown.
If you didn't know about this important news, I'm sure you're really grateful to me for bringing it to your attention.
Yes, it's true. Despite the dual controversies of having broken pageant regulations by concealing that she'd posed topless for photos (gasp), and saying she opposed same sex marriage (and is only in favour of "opposite marriage," whatever that means) in the question-and-answer part of Miss USA, she can continue to reign as Miss Cali. And the decision proved that plastic's greatest threat to humanity might be in other forms.
Like all good reality shows, the "you can stay" moment was revealed with drama and suspense. After many deliberations in the court of public opinion, and lobbying by the big powers at the Miss California USA organization, Donald Trump, who owns the Miss USA Pageant, delivered the verdict in front of millions after several delays and much fanfare.
I wanted to believe...
But that's not why my heart was racing when I watched the news.
I'd naively like to believe that if the Donald had fired her, he'd have trumped the fembots, sent a signal that imperfect beauty wins the day, and delivered a blow to homophobia and hypocrisy.
I know that even if that happened, all it really would have done is secure a lifetime of martyr status and fame for her. But can I just have a naïve rant for a moment? I wanted to believe that stripping Prejean of her crown would expose the total nonsense of the boob-jobs-bring-confidence statements made by the Miss California USA organization (the organization that funded Prejean's silicone implants right before the Miss USA pageant). And, yes, they actually said they paid for them to boost her confidence.I don't wish to sound heartless here, but it is an individual's choice to accept silicone implants. I don't quite get the whole thing myself, but it seems to me that if somebody wants to pump plastic into themselves, then they're more than entitled to. It seems odd that the people who more-often-than-not oppose such things are also at the front-lines of pro-choicery in other hot-button issues. For instance, if the author feels that Prejean's opposition to gay marriage is homophobic, then doesn't looking down on somebody for getting silicone implants sort of make the author a plastiphobe? I'm just sayin'...
I wanted to believe people were tired of nonsense like Miss California USA organizers ducking any blame and pointing at "the media" for the ideas about beauty that exist in pageants and for the "way that we perceive real women." Even though I'm far from the only "media" to point at least one real finger at pageants.
And though the reasonable part of me knows that plastic surgery is a far more complex issue, with many social forces and implications, one that can't be blamed on any individual or organization, another part of me just wants to stop the buck-passing that keeps the operating rooms busy stuffing plastic into people.
Yes, of course, the whole 'plastic' industry is a rather heartless, superficial thing to behold. But so what? There are plenty of things on this earth that are heartless and superficial. That doesn't mean that someone should be put down for caving in to those things, or being a part of those things - necessarily. Yeah, sure, there are 'operating rooms busy stuffing plastic into people', and Carrie Prejean apparently was one of those people, but I fail to see how that disqualifies her from being able to enter a simple beauty contest. Indeed, if being plasticized makes one no more desirable ( as some might say ), then what's the problem?
I wanted to believe that Prejean's hypocrisy was enough to turn even her most staunch supporter against her. "One has to wonder," wrote Brian Normoyle in the Huffington Post, "how the beauty queen has the credibility and moral standing to speak out against 'unnatural' and 'un-Biblical' marriage with the same breath that is weighted down by 'unnatural' and 'un-Biblical' implants filtered through $10,000 worth of 'unnatural' capped teeth." But it wasn't enough. She's got gazillions of fans.
While I may not be a biblical scholar, I don't remember reading any particular passage in Sunday school that 'Thou shalt not inject silicone into thine breasts'. But maybe that's in the Old King James version, or something. And the fact that she's got 'gazillions' of fans is more a matter of the people becoming fans than the person they're fans of, wouldn't you say?
Progress looks like thisAh yes. The homophobic Carrie Prejean. I noticed the other day that she was arrested for beating up a gay fellow on the beaches of California with a cheerleading baton. Very nasty. Indeed, who knows the incalculable damage that Carrie Prejean's personal opinions and religious beliefs might have on countless gays in America - particularly as she was so outspoken about them after being quizzed on her beliefs as a mandatory section of the Miss USA pageant. Nope, if she hadn't been asked to explain her position on gay marriage like that, you wouldn't have been able to get her to shut her mouth about the subject, and yes, I am sure that Perez Hilton had to be medicated after the damages that Carrie inflicted not just on his body, but his soul as well. And then she appeared in an ad! That heartless homophobic bigot, she.
And while we're on the topic of gay marriage, I wanted to believe that only a few older people are homophobic these days. That some people grew up with homophobia are slow to change, but that it's only a matter of time before gay marriage is legalized because no one of my generation or younger could be intolerant.
Dan Savage says this pageant actually shows that things are improving. He writes in the NYT that the fact that many were upset about Prejean's comments in the pageant shows that anti-gay attitudes are weakening. "No contestant would stand on that stage and argue for a ban on interracial marriage or come to the defense of a country clubs that banned Jewish members or condemn single mothers. All those positions were once considered thoroughly respectable, and people could argue for them on TV -- pundits, candidates, beauty pageant contestants -- without fear or repercussion. Not true today. It's not that there are racial thought police, or anti-Semitic thought police, or single-mom thought police. It's just that times and attitudes change." And that's happening with this issue too, slowly. But I wanted to believe they'd changed more than this.
I wanted to believe I wasn't alone in not even noticing that the Miss America pageant was on a few weeks ago. That I was with the many commenters who initially said things like "You know it's a pretty Goddamned slow news day when this is the most exciting thing going on in the world." But yesterday was a big news day, and it was still the biggest news on many networks, online newspapers and blogs as well as tabloids.
Is Carrie Prejean opposed to gay marriage? Well, yes. But then again, the whole 'same-sex blessing' debate has been wracking the Anglican Church of Canada for nigh thirty years, the fundamentalist Muslims have been in the habit of crushing gays with specially-built walls in certain backwater countries, and let's not even talk about those dastardly Catholics. Not to mention that America, arguably the freest country on the planet, has yet to reach a legal opinion on gay marriage - which was what undoubtedly happened to prompt miss Prejean's unfortunate question. Yes, society sure has reached a decision on the gay marriage debate. It's a shame that Carrie Prejean just couldn't get with the times - after all, a majority of religious institutions and a lot of political institutions already haven't.
'Plastic beauty serves no one'Hey, I like 'flawed' women. What that particular flaw might be is up for discussion, but I'm not necessarily against 'flaws'. And by the author's logic, Carrie Prejean's opinion on gay marriage is certainly a flaw, so then we should have no problem accepting her, right? Or do 'flaws' only apply to the physical realm?
Part of me wanted to believe that Susan Boyle's 15 minutes of fame might last a few minutes longer. That most men (secretly sometimes) liked flawed, imperfect, real women better (maybe not Boyle, but maybe so). That they agreed with Stephen Marche when he wrote in Esquire this week that plastic beauty serves no one.
"Here in America... women now have to struggle against the tide of money fixation and status obsession that threatens to turn them into mannequins distinct from the plastic variety only insofar as they can pose themselves. And for men, it's a struggle against the despair we face when looking over the pickings of the bar, thinking, 'They're all the same' because they are." But many comments in comment sections essentially said of Prejean, "She's hot," which bursts my bubble.
The only saving grace in all of this is that Carrie Prejean might not now become the martyr of the right, with a book deal, and an endless amount of hype. That this portion of this beauty contest might, in fact, end now.
Is Carrie Prejean hot? Umm...yes. Although one can't help but get the feeling that to say yes or to say no would both be damning statements.
Beauty isn't eternal, but while it's there, and if you've got it, flaunt it. What? You think the brainiacs and the sports whizzes hold themselves back because they make the others feel bad? And you think that those same athletes and mathletes won't do whatever they can to improve their 'game'? Does using 'help', be it plastic or injectable ( or preferably both ), constitute an 'unfairness'? Perhaps. But so what? Life isn't fair, and those same people who pump themselves up now are in for a world of hurt and suffering later on down the road - at which point, you'll be feeling a lot better about yourself upon observing their misery. As it turns out, beauty doesn't last forever, but neither does unfairness. It all evens out in the end.
And as far as Carrie Prejean goes, if she's done something that she's going to suffer for later, then she's done it. And those are her consequences. But as far as we're concerned, she's a pretty face who's made some mistakes, who holds a conservative outlook on the contentious issue of gay marriage rights. So tell me - which is worse? Carrie Prejean? Or the people who, while on the one hand portraying the 'ordinary' and 'flawed' person as being preferable to the plasticized ones, are acting as shallow people themselves who see only the plastic and the flesh? There's more than plastic and gay marriage to Carrie Prejean, just as there is more than meets the eye to every person. What's the bloody point of judging somebody based on those two, skin-deep qualities, other than to prove yourself incapable of seeing the larger picture yourself?
US journalist freed from Iran arrives in Austria
By Veronika Oleksyn, via The State:
Plus:
Iran: American journalist guilty despite freedom ( USA Today )
Roxana Saberi Arrives in Vienna from Iran ( The New York Times Lede blog )
Why Iran Freed Roxana Saberi ( The Daily Beast )
VIENNA -- After four months in an Iranian prison, American journalist Roxana Saberi was savoring her first taste of freedom back in the West - beaming a confident smile Friday upon touching down in Austria's capital but keeping silent about the details of her ordeal.Read the rest here.
After thanking those who supported her during her captivity, Saberi was whisked away to the home of friends in Vienna, where she planned to spend several days recuperating and coming to terms with her experiences in Iran.
"I need some more time to think about what happened to me over the past couple of days," the 32-year-old journalist told reporters at the Vienna airport. "Nobody knows about it as well as I do and I will talk about it more in the future, I hope, but I am not prepared at this time."
Plus:
Iran: American journalist guilty despite freedom ( USA Today )
Roxana Saberi Arrives in Vienna from Iran ( The New York Times Lede blog )
Why Iran Freed Roxana Saberi ( The Daily Beast )
Today's Levant Jaunt
Links Levantian:
Arrowsplitter
Blazing Cat Fur, with more here.
NOW Magazine
Solomania
Unambiguously Ambidextrous
Girl on the Right
Canada.com
AllThingsCanadian
Five Feet of Fury
Deborah Gyapong
Concerned For Life
Book Levantian:
The Winnipeg Free Press: Human rights commissions called chilling influence
Blog Levantian - Ezra's latest:
So what did the RCMP think of John Beattie's "Nazis"?
Beware the Nazi menace! Better brush up on your German!
Winnipeg Free Press reviews Shakedown
Why is the Canadian Jewish Congress so defensive?
The Canadian Nazi Party -- a party of one
Khaled Abu Toameh speaking in Vancouver next Saturday
Globe and Mail best-seller list
I'm speaking on Vancouver Island next Friday
Arrowsplitter
Blazing Cat Fur, with more here.
NOW Magazine
Solomania
Unambiguously Ambidextrous
Girl on the Right
Canada.com
AllThingsCanadian
Five Feet of Fury
Deborah Gyapong
Concerned For Life
Book Levantian:
The Winnipeg Free Press: Human rights commissions called chilling influence
Blog Levantian - Ezra's latest:
So what did the RCMP think of John Beattie's "Nazis"?
Beware the Nazi menace! Better brush up on your German!
Winnipeg Free Press reviews Shakedown
Why is the Canadian Jewish Congress so defensive?
The Canadian Nazi Party -- a party of one
Khaled Abu Toameh speaking in Vancouver next Saturday
Globe and Mail best-seller list
I'm speaking on Vancouver Island next Friday
Today's Mark Madness
Links Steynian:
Atlas Shrugs
Blazing Cat Fur
Cobb
The National Review
All American Blogger
The Obambi.com Blog
The Lasso of Truth
ThePolitic
Small Wars Journal
American Daily Review
Zipline Conservative
John In Carolina
Culture Offering
Contentions
TheDay.com
Lucianne.com
Right Wing News
The Obama Legacy
Girl on the Write Freelance
The Sign of the Mustard Seed
Douglas Bell
Hit and Run, with more here.
The Philadelphia Bulletin
Dallas Morning News
Mock, Paper, Scissors
Diana West
Chapman Kids Blog
Girl on the Right
Clive Davis
Protein Wisdom
Free Republic
The John Birch Society
Democratic Peace Blog
Dymaxion World
Pelalusa
CAITI - Online
The Shape of the World
Content Steynian:
In NRO's The Corner:
A long-shot appeal
Escalating Control
Re: Conservative Talk Radio in the Dock
Re: "This shtick"
Mark's song of the week: Everything's Coming Up Roses
In Macleans: Superheroes are starting to bug me
Mark's request of the week: Fab Gear
An address to Hillsdale College: Live Free or Die
On America: Conservative Talk Radio in the Dock
Guest-hosting Brass Balls Radio: Brass Balls Radio - Show 50
Seasons Steynian: Happy Victoria Day!
In the Washington Times: Pelosi peregrinations
On the Hugh Hewitt show: Mark Steyn: Nancy Pelosi is to Dick Cheney as Barack Obama is to Carrie Prejean
In the OC Register: Pelosi's tortured press performance
In Mark's blog:
One singular sensation
Sheep shagging revisited
Atlas Shrugs
Blazing Cat Fur
Cobb
The National Review
All American Blogger
The Obambi.com Blog
The Lasso of Truth
ThePolitic
Small Wars Journal
American Daily Review
Zipline Conservative
John In Carolina
Culture Offering
Contentions
TheDay.com
Lucianne.com
Right Wing News
The Obama Legacy
Girl on the Write Freelance
The Sign of the Mustard Seed
Douglas Bell
Hit and Run, with more here.
The Philadelphia Bulletin
Dallas Morning News
Mock, Paper, Scissors
Diana West
Chapman Kids Blog
Girl on the Right
Clive Davis
Protein Wisdom
Free Republic
The John Birch Society
Democratic Peace Blog
Dymaxion World
Pelalusa
CAITI - Online
The Shape of the World
Content Steynian:
In NRO's The Corner:
A long-shot appeal
Escalating Control
Re: Conservative Talk Radio in the Dock
Re: "This shtick"
Mark's song of the week: Everything's Coming Up Roses
In Macleans: Superheroes are starting to bug me
Mark's request of the week: Fab Gear
An address to Hillsdale College: Live Free or Die
On America: Conservative Talk Radio in the Dock
Guest-hosting Brass Balls Radio: Brass Balls Radio - Show 50
Seasons Steynian: Happy Victoria Day!
In the Washington Times: Pelosi peregrinations
On the Hugh Hewitt show: Mark Steyn: Nancy Pelosi is to Dick Cheney as Barack Obama is to Carrie Prejean
In the OC Register: Pelosi's tortured press performance
In Mark's blog:
One singular sensation
Sheep shagging revisited
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