Interesting...

"With a diverse multicultural population, including sizable Jewish and Arab groups, Toronto frequently sees public demonstrations of support for both sides of the Israel-Palestine conflict."

They go on to mention some anti-israeli protests but I guess finding a pro-Israeli event was too difficult.

No, no, no...you're misinterpreting their criticism. They're not anti-semitic, they're anti-zionist! There's a difference, don't you know.

The same difference as saying: "I'm not racist...I'm just anti-melatoninist".

"which a group of high-profile artists and celebrities say constitutes complicity in "the Israeli propaganda machine"."

LOL, kinda like these same artists complicity in the Palestinian propaganda machine.

Is there anyone less bereft of independent thought than the modern-day artist?

Please, I work in the arts community and would be among the first to publicly spit on those walking pieces of shit. They are such easy targets. It takes only one sentence to shut them up: "What city holds an annual Gay Pride parade is it Tel Aviv or Gaza?"

Back in 2000 when we decided to better our lives by migrating, the toss-up was between Canada and Australia. Canada won due to it's close proximity to the US, Western Europe and what seemed a more alluring North American culture and lifestyle. If only the internet was as prolific as it is today - subjective research would have been so much easier. But Canada disappoints. It's full-up with left-wing bleeding hearts like this "artist community" (no, make that the entire 416); the pandering to Quebec and it's financial burden on the ROC's taxpayers (not to mention the political deadlock caused by that blighted frog-infested piece of real-estate) is sickening; the political correctness is the worst we've encountered anywhere, and it's political class is even more pathetic than the antipodes already low standards. But hey, Australia has a sun that works all year, a lower tax burden and a superior economy. The move down under is under way - if all goes well we won't endure too much of the Liberal/NDP coalition taking over in November.

"Is there anyone less bereft of independent thought than the modern-day artist?"

Yup. Any leftard.

Doug....We do know not all artists are loony left basket cases. You make an excellent point with your question to ask. I would also ask them who hangs gays....Iran or Israel? Or who shoots prostitutes....Israel or Islam?

TThen this ought to really p!ss them off...

http://www.city-journal.org/2009/19_3_jewish-capitalism.html

Veteran Canadian documentary maker Simcha Jacobovici, who was born in Israel, said Greyson should test his sympathy for the Palestinians by screening his short film about the 2008 Sarajevo Queer Festival in Tel Aviv and on the West Bank.

"He will be invited to screen the film at the local (Tel Aviv) cinematheque. He can then walk around with the same sign down the streets of Palestinian Ramallah. He should document the experience on video and then enter it into next year's TIFF -- posthumously," Jacobovici said. "
. . .
Jacobovici added that he won't be able to attend the Toronto festival as he'll be in Israel, and invited Greyson to join him for a tour.

"Of course Israel, like Canada, is not a perfect society. But the question is, why does my fellow Canadian documentarian choose to so publicly align himself with forces of apartheid, totalitarianism and intolerance against the only democracy in the area?" he questioned.

Sheesh. Whenever something's said about Israel, and it's not negative in any way, shape or form, then the speaker gets blasted as a mouthpiece of the "Israeli Propaganda Machine"...

I guess I'm a mouthpiece of the IPM, too... and much worse, 'cause I actually say NICE stuff about Israel.

blame da joos.

Very nice of these Arseteets to pull their films from the Festival and this spare the people of Toronto from being inundated with their crap.

From Al Reuters ........the mouthpiece of the Terrorist/ Leftist propaganda machine....

The usual swill spewing from the fever swamp dwellers of Toronto.

From the book of received wisdom for progressives:

"Israel = Aparthied South Africa ..... Jimmah Carter said so!"

Now shut up ... Racist ....

"Canada is a world leader in human rights abuses.... The UN said so" .... now shut up ..... Racist.....

And just how much of OUR money had John Grayson received to perpetuate his ever so important "work".

"which a group of high-profile artists and celebrities say ...." Ha! They're a bunch of has-beens and B-listers.

The movie that Brad Pitt was just in- Inglorious Bastards- about killing Nazis will make 10X the amount of money than any of the crap those B-listers will do.

Tenebris, thanks very much for posting that link. Fascinating and very thought-provoking article!

Check it out folks,it's a ten minute read well worth your time, "Silicon Israel -
How market capitalism saved the Jewish state". It also speculates on the enormous socio-economic benefits the Arab world could gain by partnership with Israel, if they would abandon their venemous, cancerous hatred that hurts themselves most of all.

(Everything from the Bible to great literature like Moby Dick teach that hate always first destroys the hater.)

ScratchO: Find an anti-Semite.
...-

"US harshly rebukes Israel on settlement plans

The Associated Press - Matthew Lee - ‎4 hours ago‎
WASHINGTON - Alarmed by Israeli plans to build new housing units in settlements and dimming prospects for American peace efforts, the Obama administration on Friday put out a rare and harsh public rebuke of its main Mideast ally."

"What city holds an annual Gay Pride parade is it Tel Aviv or Gaza"

Doug, you put it into perspective perfectly. The tragic (and self-defeating) irony is that the majority of those supporting gay pride parades over here will always side with Hamas and their allies, without reservations. It's a little easier to sit in Toronto, trash Israel and side with Hamas, than to go to Gaza and declare oneself openly gay.
In the modern progressive theology Israel is evil and Palestinians are helpless victims - there's no room for nuance or reason.

Mississauga Matt @7:00 - Great, now I have to respect the convictions of somebody whose sloppy archaeological work and question-grovelling historical theories and annoying egomaniacal cutsie-poo TV programs I loathe.

Way to make my life complicated.

It's strange how these anti-Semitic artistes are more than willing to take the bucks from all the Jewish film and theatrical producers. Principles be damned as long as there's a pay cheque involved.
For anyone who wonders why myself and millions of others prefer to download movies on a P2P network rather than going to a theatre to watch them...there's your answer. I won't contribute a nickel to these terrorist loving jerks.

A co-worker took her 5 yr old to the Calgary gay pride parade.. I said what??? she says "she doesn't know they're gay" I say "she knows they're naked"
each to their own

Re Israel vs. the rest of the Mideast:

"What the haves have is freedom, and it is freedom that the have-nots have not" -- Ayn Rand

Sick of canuck lefties, soon you'll be changing your handle to Sick of Aussie lefties. They've invaded and infiltrated there too. Surprised you haven't heard.

The numbers are large enough that Australians turfed their Thatcher or Reagan in the form of conservative Prime Minister John Howard and substituted a Laborite named Rudd who is the squishy Tweedledum to Britain's Tweedledee Gordon Brown.

You're better off making a stand somewhere instead of moving about the globe looking for what no longer exists: a reliably conservative successful Eurochristian based country not submerging under excessive immigration from unlike and unassimilable cultures.

Did people not notice there are Jews among the arts crowd who signed the letter, e.g. Naomi Klein?

In fact, a large majority of Jews vote for leftist parties and support them financially, even as those leftist parties slag Israel and whitewash Palestinian actions.

So it's not as simple as antisemitism.

Someone has to explain why the majority of diaspora Jews in both Canada and the USA not just tolerate the anti-Zionism of their fellow left travelers but join in volubly.

When a Jew who should know better calls Israel apartheid (and some have even participated in the nazi slander), they play right into the hands of people who hate them as much as any Israeli Jew.

Where are Jewish smarts?

"Where are Jewish smarts?" kivi asks.
Ask Woody.
...-

"Woody Allen offers Carla Bruni film role

Woody Allen has given French First Lady Carla Bruni a starring role in his next film.

Carla - who married Nicolas Sarkozy shortly after he became French President in 2007 - is believed to have accepted the offer from the US director to appear in an as-yet-untitled movie he is planning to make next year.

Woody stated last year he would offer Carla "any role she liked" in one of his films.

He said: "I would like to work with Carla Bruni. I'm sure she would be wonderful. She has charisma and she performs, so she's not unknown to an audience, and I would cast her in many different ways.

"She is an accomplished artist, she is very beautiful and I am sure she would have a gift for comedy."
http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/2837868/Woody-Allen-offers-Carla-Bruni-film-role

kivi: The leftist anti-Israel crowd doesn't hate Jews, but they do hate freedom and democracy.