ISLAMIC CONGRESS AND LAW STUDENTS TO MAKE PUBLIC SETTLEMENT OFFER TO MACLEAN’S ON HUMAN RIGHTS COMPLAINTS
Jonathan Kay;
Come to think of it, it’s fair to say that the Maclean’s imbroglio has been one of the biggest shots in the arm to Canadian conservatives in general. It’s turned red-meat right-winger Ezra Levant into a star blogger and a free-speech hero with brand-name recognition in the United States, turned Steyn’s name into a household word, created a debate within the Jewish community over its traditionally doctrinaire support for blanket hate-speech laws (Ezra for CJC president, anyone?), shone a light on the amateurish shenanigans of Canada’s human rights commissions, driven a powerful movement for reform of said commissions, and generally served to marginalize the pro-censorship lobby to the point that its main defender is now a disgruntled former journalist who fills his blog with unhinged conspiracy theories about how everyone who favours free speech is a racist.
More – there’s a big round up of reaction at Shaidle’s place.
“I hope [Steyn] takes the letter, crumbles it up, and dips it in a cup of ketchup and then eats it right there on stage in front of them. Oh God, hear my prayer, please let this happen.”
Liz J at 4:45,I agree totally. They launched a frivolous complaint that caused hardship to many. They lost.They had no case. They were wrong. They were malicious. They showed total disregard for our freedoms. They should be apologizing. But,on the other hand ,if they ask for about 100,000 one- way tickets back to the shit-hole countries where they can wallow in their religious filth,yeah,I am on their side.
obviously not jewish
Uh, guys! Actually go read the announcement.
* Issued on Tuesday for a next-morning 10:00am media conference.
* Para.1 “… complaints against Maclean’s magazine for publishing Islamophobic content”
* Para.2 “more information regarding the background of the above-mentioned complaints will be provided”
I AM IMPRESSED – this is a masterpiece of pseudo-PR writing, and is just the 1st shot.
We must not loose sight of the main objective. We must continue our efforts to do away with the HRCs and the unnecessary legislation (this kind of stuff is so important that it belongs in constitutions and criminal law – wait some people would say that much of it if not all is already there) that enables them. I fear that this (if it is a capitualation) may just be a maneuvere to distract us from continuing the pressure until something else comes up that draws everyone’s attention. This is not over until the legislation is repealed!
Johhny, the evil that needs to be fixed isn’t the hearing at the HRCs and precedents that may be created there. The evil that needs to be fixed is the HRCs and their enabling legislation. And I, for one, am thankful for the idiots that started this for picking a fight with people who are capable of fighting back and standing up for principles they believe in. I, for one, am thankful for the fact that this has been “good for their business”, because it has caused way more people to stop and look at what has been going on with big government getting bigger – and more importantly, they have been so offended by what they have seen that they have taken action.
I see you say that you are not a fan of the HRCs. You say that their impact (in these cases?) on free speech has been overstated. You are wrong. They are the storm troopers of PC. They and their ilk have changed not only what we can talk about in polite society, but the words that we can use to talk. If that is not a massive barrier to free speech then what is?
This case is about the fundamental right to publish,speak,write,or convey in any way the truth.Maclean’s and Steyn did not write lies,they told the truth about islam and islam does not want anyone to know that. They are offended that people will see them for what they are and what they want to do. If Maclean’s publishes an article about the similarities between the residents of Bountiful and islam,can both groups make claims for hateful speech?
Macleans will have to fake it, pretend they are concerned. Put it in polite words when they tell the CIC to kiss thier ass.
RROE: Thanks for the response. I am sort of taken aback that somehere here actually took the time to think before commenting…
But you are inflating the reality of these things when you characterize the HRC as “stormtroopers”. We lose attention to important matters when we do that, I think. I don’t share (by a long long way) the views of Kate McMillan, and am ever more disgusted with the crap published by Kathy Shaidle. I would characterize some of their expressed ideas as being “racist” but would not call them Nazis.
They are not Nazis. They are Canadians whose perspectives I oppose. Like I said, the movement we call, loosely, political correctness is another perspective I oppose, but let me do their thing.
I understand there was a cost to the hearings and I understand the so-called Freedom Five needed to hustle some $ help to offset that. That’s process. They have the right to counter that suit, do they not?
I’ve put up another article, related to this one, on Instablogs so the whole world can follow what’s happening in Canada wrt this issue…
http://tcs2.instablogs.com/entry/anti-free-speech-folks-in-canada-vainly-trying-to-save-face/
At Instablogs, I’ve been telling the world about this continuing issue.
I’ve figured out where I’ve seen Johnny Maudlin before!
SCTV – The Sammy Maudlin Show — Bobbie Bitman, how are ya???